


Anything's Possible

by HPFandom_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Drama, Explicit Language, F/M, Humor, Mystery, Out of Character, Parody, Romance, Sexual Content, Suspense
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-07-12
Updated: 2007-07-11
Packaged: 2018-09-30 11:39:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 35
Words: 63,683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10162283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HPFandom_archivist/pseuds/HPFandom_archivist
Summary: Draco and Hermione are forced to share a tent during a Muggle camping trip. Will their endless bickering lead to them killing each other or will romance blossom in the wilderness?  A bit OOC but really fun! Nominated at 'Quill to Parchment'.





	1. 1

**Author's Note:**

> Note from SeparatriX, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [HP Fandom](http://fanlore.org/wiki/HP_Fandom_\(archive\)), which was closed for health and financial reasons. To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [HP Fandom collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/hpfandom/profile).

disclaimer: Harry Potter and all related characters belong to J.K. Rowling 

"Camping? Why the bloody hell would I want to go camping?" Draco Malfoy was in a foul mood. He was in his seventh and final year at Hogwarts, and for reasons only known to him, he had taken Muggle Studies this term. 

"Well Mr. Malfoy," the Professor said, strolling over to his cluttered desk. "This is a class where we study the Muggle way of life." He plopped his plump behind on the desk. "Camping is a great Muggle tradition and a perfect way for you lot to experience just how hard it is to not use magic." He smiled slyly. "And it should be a lot of fun too!" 

"Fun my ass!" Draco mumbled. 

"Now class," the Professor said, jumping off his desk. "This is a list of the items you may bring with you this weekend." He waved his wand and they appeared on the blackboard. "As you can see, only Muggle items are allowed; no robes, no brooms and especially no wands." The whole class moaned. 

Draco was trying to pay attention, but when the Professor started to ramble on about Muggle tent pitching, his mind began to wander. He lazily swept his eyes over his classmates. Everyone was either taking notes or sleeping. Across the aisle from him sat the only other person not sharing a table... Granger. 

He smirked as he watched her taking notes at lightning speed. "Like she needs to take notes! She's a Muggle for Merlin's sake!" he thought. As he continued to watch her (which he so often did), he noticed something odd. 

She would jot down a few notes, and then lift up the parchment, read the one underneath and then scribble on that one. 

Draco was intrigued. "What could she be up too?" he wondered. As he watched, she stiffened in her seat as if suddenly shocked. He noticed that her eyes had gotten huge and that her complexion was pale. "What the hell is wrong with her?" he asked himself. 

Hermione slowly licked her lips and then carefully turned her head in his direction. She jumped slightly when she saw that he was looking at her. A pink blush crept up her neck and face and she looked like a frightened rabbit. 

He was confused at the way she was looking at him and for a fleeting moment, thought that maybe she... "No, she would never..." He mentally slapped himself. "Then again, I AM a gorgeous specimen of a man. She probably does want me!" 

He lifted up his eyebrows in a questioning manner, but she just sat there, staring at him. So, he decided to have some fun. He leaned back in his seat, stretching his long legs out into the aisle next to her chair. He crossed his feet and put his arms behind his head. 

Her eyes traveled up from his expensive dragon hide shoes, lingered on his crotch area for a second and then wandered up to his face. He gave her a sexy smile which made her flinch. She stuck out her tongue and rolled her eyes. 

"Miss Granger!" the Professor said loudly. Hermione and Draco both faced the front in a hurry. 

"Yes Professor?" she asked, in a squeaky voice. She glanced at Draco from the corner of her eye and saw him smiling. 

"The answer Miss Granger?" 

Hermione panicked. "Um... could you please repeat the question, sir?" 

"What is the name of the Muggle camping snack that is made with graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows?" 

Hermione exhaled the breath she was holding and said, "They are called S'mores, sir." 

"Very good Miss Granger, ten points to Gryffindor!" 

The bell rang and she packed her things away in a hurry, eager to get to the library. 

As Draco walked out of class behind Hermione, a folded parchment fell out of her over-stuffed bag. He looked around to see if anyone had noticed. Satisfied that he had been the only one, he reached down, picked it up and shoved it in his pocket. 

He made a bee-line straight for the Slytherin common room. It was crowded, so he made his way to his room instead. "Get out all of you!" he shouted to his roommates and they scurried out the door like roaches. 

Draco took off his cloak and threw it onto a chair and then paced the floor, turning the parchment over and over in his fingers. 

"Should I or shouldn't I?" he questioned out loud. "Of course I should!" he said with a devilish grin. He opened it and began to read. 

"Holy fucking Hippogriffs!" he said in shock. 

THIS IS A SEX QUESTIONAIRE. THERE ARE SIX QUESTIONS. FEEL FREE TO ANSWER TRUTHFULLY, AS YOUR NAME DOES NOT APPEAR ON THIS ANYWHERE. WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED PLEASE RETURN THIS BY OWL. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.  
SINCERLY, P.P. 

QUESTION 1: ARE YOU A VIRGIN?  
ANSWER: no 

Draco was completely and utterly flabbergasted. "Not a virgin?" He picked up his pillow and threw it across the room. "It was probably that Krum, or worse still- Weasley!" he thought disgustedly. "How dare they touch her!" His hands were shaking as he continued to read. 

QUESTION 2: HOW OFTEN DO YOU THINK ABOUT SEX?  
ANSWER: everyday 

He chuckled to himself as he tried to picture up- tight Granger thinking about sex. 

QUESTION 3: WHO IS THE ONE BOY IN SCHOOL THAT YOU WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SEX WITH?  
ANSWER: Draco Malfoy 

"What!" he shouted. "No way!" He shook his head in disbelief. Running his hand through his pale hair, he said, "This has got to be a joke. There is no way that she would ever..." He walked over to his bed and sat down. 

After a few deep breaths, he looked down at the parchment and continued to read. 

QUESTION 4: DOES HE SUSPECT THAT YOU WANT HIM?  
ANSWER: NO! 

"Damn right I never suspected!" But as he thought about it, there were a few times he had caught her looking at him like she wanted to eat him with a spoon. 

QUESTION 5: HOW LONG HAVE YOU HAD THESE FEELINGS?  
ANSWER: since 5th year 

"All this time? how could I not have noticed?" He puzzled with this until he realized that no one had noticed. "She's a right good actress!" he said, laughing. 

QUESTION 6: DESCRIBE A FANTASY INVOLVING YOU AND THIS "LOVER BOY"  
ANSWER: I'm walking down the hall late at night during patrol. He suddenly grabs me and pulls me into a dark closet. Throwing me up against the cold hard wall, he kisses me passionately. I run my hands through his silky hair and then over his chest as we slowly undress each other. His soft hot lips trail kisses down my neck and he groans as I reach down and grasp his throbbing cock... 

Here the note ended. Draco fell back onto his bed, his mind filling in the missing ending with his own erotic thoughts. 

Later that day, Hermione made her way to the Great Hall for dinner with Harry and Ron. 

"Ew! You have to sleep in a Muggle tent, make fire without magic and worst of all- roast wieners with Malfoy?" Ron shook his head in pity. "We'll pray for you!" 

"The tent and the fire aren't to bad but I'd rather kill myself than roast wieners with that ferret!" she said, throwing a menacing look over to the Slytherin table. 

"Unless it's his wiener your roasting!" Harry said and they all laughed. 

Draco watched as she took a seat with her dorky friends. He picked up his juice and took a swig, never taking his eyes off of her. They were laughing... probably at him because of that note. This made him furious. "I'll show her, she can't make a fool out of me." 

Hermione had the strangest feeling that someone was watching her. Sure enough, when she looked over at Malfoy, he was eyeballing her. She opened her mouth to ask him what the hell he was looking at when he reached into is pocket and pulled out a crumpled folded parchment. 

She recognized it right away and her stomach lurched dangerously. He held it up and winked at her suggestively. 

Draco expected her to run crying from the Hall; instead, she looked right at him and smiled. The smirk slid from his face. He watched as she leaned forward and said something to her friends. She then picked up her bag and walked out. 

He took one last sip of his pumpkin juice, wiped his mouth with his napkin and followed her out. 

She was halfway up the stairs already and he called, "Oi! Granger!" She stopped in her tracks and turned to face him. He ran up the steps two at a time until he was one step below her. 

"What do you want Malfoy?" she said, putting her hand on her hip and tapping her foot. He didn't answer. "I'm in a hurry, so feel free to call me Mudblood, curse me or whatever, just hurry up!" No response, just that idiot smile. "Look Malfoy, I know you found that note. And being the disgusting piece of filth that you are, I'm sure you read it!" He just continued to star at her. "Well? Aren't you going to torture me about it?" 

Draco finally spoke. "You know me so well Mudblood. Of course I want to torture you about it!" He sneered at her. "Imagine my astonishment when I read that goody goody Granger has sexual fantasies about yours truly," he said suavely, pointing to himself. "I bet Potter and Weasley would love to find out that little bit of information!" 

He leaned in so that his face was directly in front of hers. She could smell the pumpkin juice on his breath. Her eyes glanced at his lips and she wondered crazily if they tasted like pumpkin juice. Turning his head, he whispered in her ear, "I know you want me Granger." He felt her shiver and he smiled. 

Goosebumps broke out all over her body and she felt her knees go weak. He softly kissed her neck and she reached out to grasp the railing for support. She shut her eyes as he tangled his hand into her hair, pulling her head back. 

"I want you too" he said softly and brought his lips down on hers. 

"They do taste like pumpkin juice," she thought as she slid her tongue into his welcoming mouth 

As their passion intensified, he abruptly stopped and pulled back. His finger came up and caressed his lips in confusion. He looked at her in disbelief and took a step backward. 

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked him breathlessly. 

Draco's brain was so clouded that he spoke the first thing that came to his mind. "I just wanted to make all your Mudblood dreams come true." 

Hermione's face blanched at his harsh words. "I hate you Malfoy!" she screamed and ran crying up the stairs. 

He watched her retreating form and moaned, "Why did I say that?" His lips were still tingling from that amazing kiss and he was so turned on that he couldn't think straight. He slowly made his way to his room where he fell asleep after having the best wank of his life. 

Later that night, Hermione lay in her bed trying to rationalize the events from earlier. "I'm sure at first he was just trying to tease me." She thought of him holding up the parchment during dinner. "But what happened on the stairs..." Lust filled memories filled her mind. His hands caressing her hips, his erection rubbing against her, his hot silky lips pressing down on hers. "I WILL NOT think about that!" She tried to think about the Potions assignment, but what happened on the stairs kept creeping back into her mind. 

"After he kissed me, there was this look on his face... almost like he was in shock or something." She let out a sigh. "Did he feel what I felt? Is that why he reacted the way he did?" She thought about his lips on hers again. "I'm never going to be able to drink pumpkin juice again!" 

She rolled over and looked out the window at the star filled sky. "What am I going to do? How am I going to face him tomorrow?" Finally she decided that the best course of action was to just pretend that nothing happened. 

Draco lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He was an emotional mess. His father had taught him that Muggles were inferior, beneath him. Lucius assured him that if he so much as laid a finger on one, he would be repulsed. That was definitely not the case with Granger. In fact, the complete opposite was true. What he wouldn't give to live that five minutes over again! Instead of resting his hands on her hips, he's slip them under her robes, under her soaked knickers... 

He took out the parchment from under his pillow and read it again. He recalled the hurt look on her face when he insulted her and actually felt guilty about it. He folded up the paper and put it back under his pillow. 

"What should I do? Apologize?" He tried to picture himself begging Granger for forgiveness. "That's not going to happen!" Finally, he just decided to act like the kiss never happened. 

to be continued...


	2. 2

  
Author's notes: How will Draco and Hermione deal with their feelings?  


* * *

The next few days passed excruciatingly slow for the both of them. Each tried their best to ignore the other, and they did a pretty good job until Muggle Studies. 

Draco could not ignore the fact that Hermione was across the aisle, so close that he could reach out and touch her, if he wanted to. He would find himself glancing at her every now and then, but she was never looking at him. "Maybe the whole thing WAS a joke and that kiss meant nothing to her." 

Hermione knew Draco was looking at her. His gaze made her turn all hot and she couldn't concentrate. "I will not look at him, I will not look at him..." she repeated over and over to herself. She tried to read the page in her book about how to catch fish without magic, but her mind kept wandering. "How can I still have feelings for him when he treated me like he did? Saying he wanted me and then calling me a Mudblood! I deserve better than him! Problem is that it's only him I want." She sighed and tried to read the first sentence again. 

Draco wished he knew what she was thinking. He noticed that she was trying very hard to read the assigned page and was having great difficulty concentrating. "If only she would look at me!" He willed her head to turn in his direction but besides using the Imperius Curse, he knew no way to make her. 

The professor stood up from his desk, groaning because of his arthiritc knees. "Has everyone finished? Good!" he said strolling from behind it. "Tomorrow we will meet in the Great Hall at 6a.m." There were moans and complaints from everyone. "Please remember that no magical items are to be brought along. Bring your wands with you to the Great Hall and Mr. Filch and I will log them and put them in a safe place. I will be bringing my wand with me on the trip, just in case of an emergency." He paused. "Any questions?" 

Justin raised his hand. "How exactly are we getting to the camp sir?" 

"That is a surprise, Mr. Finch-Fletchley." 

The bell rang and they all got up. Hermione chanced a quick look in Draco's direction. He smiled at her strangly. She cringed, slung her bag over her shoulder and hurried out the door. 

He stood there, at his table, in silence so long that the Professor raised his eyebrows and asked him if there was anything he needed. 

"No sir, I was just leaving" he answered and sadly left the classroom. 

After dinner, where she hardly ate anything, Hermione retired to her room to pack for the trip. Lavender and Parvati were already into the process. They were eagerly consulting each other about what to bring. 

"Well, I'm definitely taking this!" Parvati said, holding up a yellow two piece swimsuit. 

"Where do you think you'll be wearing that?" Hermione asked in amusement. 

"I need to work on my tan. Seamus likes me dark, he says I look sexy." 

"I don't think you'll have time to work on your tan Parvati, the Professor is giving us tasks to complete for a grade." Hermione said, looking through her underwear drawer. 

"I'll find the time. After all, the trip can't be all work can it? I'm sure we'll have free time or something." 

"You're right." Lavender said. I'll bring my suit too!" She pulled a red string bikini out of her drawer and held it up. "I'm not sure about the sun bathing thing, but I I'm sure if I walk around in this, Malfoy would definately take notice!" 

At the mention of Malfoy's name, Hermione flinched. "Are you saying that you fancy Malfoy?" 

"Maybe I do!" Lavender replied. "Have you seen him lately? He's a total hottee!" Parvati and Lavender broke into a giggling fit. "Those rippling muscles, that smoldering smirk, those sexy grey eyes..." 

"He's an arrogant Pureblood ass if you ask me. And I see nothing attractive about him what so ever!" Hermione said, a little to angrily. The other two girls abruptly stopped laughing. 

Hermione tried to save face. "I mean, I thought you'd have better taste. Malfoy is... is... well, he's Malfoy!" 

Lavender put her swimsuit into her bag. "Calm down Hermione. It's not like he would actually go out with me or anything. He's a Slytherin, I'm a Gryffindor- mortal enemies remember. I really don't want to be his girlfriend anyway, I just want him to fuck the hell out of me!" 

Parvati broke in before Hermione could say anything. " I heard from Daphne that he's never had a real girlfriend, not even Pansy was lucky enough to snag him. I guess no one is good enough for him." 

"Either that or he's gay!" Lavender said, laughing. 

"Maybe he's got the hots for Harry!" Parvati added. 

"He is NOT gay!" Hermione shouted. 

"How do you know?" Lavender asked curiously. "Do you know something we don't? Has he gotten inside your knickers?" 

Hermione tried to find a way out. "I... er... of course not! I would never..." 

"Yeah, we know 'you would never'!" Lavender snorted. 

"What is it then?" Parvati said excitedly. "Did you see him with someone?" 

"No, I did not see him with anyone. You two need to stop spreading lies. Your rumors hurt people and even if I hate Malfoy, I wouldn't want to see him ruined by a false accusation!" 

"We can say whatever we want Hermione!" Lavender said. 

"Don't forget that I'm Head Girl, Lavender," Hermione said through clenched teeth. "I hear you tell anyone that Malfoy is gay or spread another lie about anyone, I will go to the Headmistress!" She shoved her clothes into her bag and flung herself into her bed. 

"Well...If I didn't know any better, I'd say Hermione has a little crush on our sexy Slytherin," Parvati said with a smirk. 

"She sure did get upset about that gay remark!" Lavender added. 

Hermione pulled her hangings closed with a jerk and buried her head in her pillow. She tossed and turned all night. 

Parvati and Lavender got up at 5am and got ready to go. They decided not to wake up Hermione. "After the way she treated us last night? Let her be late, I don't care!" Lavender said and she and Parvati headed down the stairs. 

The whole class minus two, were congregated in the Great Hall. "Where are our Head Boy and Girl?" the professor asked after waiting five impatient minutes for them. 

Parvati and Lavender sniggered behind their hands, annoyingly 

"All right then, we can't wait any longer, so let's all pair up and get this show on the road!" the Professor said. "You and your partner will turn in your wands and then Mr. Filch will search you for any hidden magical items." The girls all gave looks of disgust. " Then, you will leave your sleepingbags and backpacks with me... they will be waiting for you at the campsite." He looked around for Hermione and Draco again and frowned." You and your partner will then receive a bag from me. In this bag you will find two canteens of water, a map to the campsite, a compass and a flashlight. Each pair will begin their journey at a different location. You will have to use the equipment I've given you, to find your own way to the campsite." 

"Professor?" 

"Yes Mr. MacMillin?" 

"Are there precautions being taken in case we get lost, or perhaps injured?" 

"Don't worry my boy, everything will be fine. As long as you paid attention in class, you should have no problems." 

This statement did nothing to dispel Ernie's worry. 

The Professor continued, "After receiving the bag from me, you will then take a Portkey from the box and get going." 

Hermione woke with a start. Looking over at her clock, she yelped and jumped out of bed. "I'm late!" she said, rushing about the room. She frantically pulled on a pair of cut-off jean shorts and a light blue sweatshirt. 

"Damn! Damn! Damn!" she said, shoving her feet into her socks and trainers. 

She held her hand up to her mouth, breathed on it and sniffed. "UGH! I really need to brush my teeth!" Hermione ran to the bathroom, brushed like a mad woman, pulled her unruly hair into a messy bun, grabbed her belongings and scurried out of the room. 

Draco's eyes slowly opened. "Something is wrong," he said to himself. "What day is it?" He suddenly jumped out of bed. "For the love of..." He ran to the bathroom and checked himself out in the mirror. He smirked at his reflection. "I even look good first thing in the morning! he said, running his hand through his hair. He sniffed his pitts. "Not to bad." He put on some deodorant and then brushed his teeth. 

After giving himself one more look-over in the bathroom mirror, he put on his Muggle clothing. He then went over to the full length mirror on the back of the door and admired himself again. He was wearing baggy jean shorts and a red hoodie that said Adidas across the front. "I look pretty good in red," he said to his reflection. Remembering that he was late, he grabbed his stuff and hurried out of his room. 

Draco ran through the common room, out the door, through the hallways, up the stairs and... smack! Right into Hermione. He quickly grabbed the front of her sweatshirt before she could fall over. 

"What the hell!" she yelled. "Watch where you're going Malfoy!" 

Draco let go of her and stepped back. "Next time Granger, I'll just let you fall on your big fat ass!" 

Hermione, who wasn't a morning person, balled up her fist and punched Draco in the mouth. "Get out of my way Malfoy!" she snapped. "I'm late!" She pushed him aside. 

Draco wiped the blood from his mouth, inwardly admiring her violent outburst. "Well in case you've forgotten Granger, we are in the same class and it looks like we are both late." 

Just then the Professor stuck his head out the door of the Great Hall. "Mr. Malfoy, Miss Granger, where have you been?" 

"Looks like we both overslept, sir," Draco said. 

"Everyone has already left, so that means that the two of you will have to partner up." The Professor turned to walk back into the hall. 

"But sir, surely..." Hermione followed him inside, pleading. 

"No buts, Miss Granger, now here is your survival gear. I'll take your bags and your wands." They handed them over. "Now go and see Mr.Filch. He'll search you, and then you can take your portkey and be on your way." 

After being accosted by the caretaker, Hermione picked up a portkey. Draco walked over and took one end. They intently looked into each other's eyes. Hermione's stomach did a flip, Draco could barely breathe. The Professor said "Portus." 

to be continued...


	3. 3

  
Author's notes: Draco likes to tease Hermione.  


* * *

Draco hit the ground, landing on his feet. Hermione on the other hand, landed on her backside. 

"What the hell are you laughing at Malfoy?" 

"I told you, next time I would let you fall on your big fat ass!" 

"Bite me Malfoy," she said, getting painfully up from the hard ground. 

"What did you just say to me?" He stood up, no longer laughing. 

"I said BITE ME!" 

"You dare speak to me that way?" His face was flushed with anger. 

"Yes Malfoy, I dare speak to you that way. What are you going to do about it?" 

"Nothing right now Granger, but you just better watch yourself." He raised his eyebrows up and sneered at her. 

Hermione just laughed. "Whatever!" she said, making a "w" with her fingers. 

Draco ignored her and took a seat on the top of a huge moss covered boulder that was sticking out of the ground. "Okay Granger, how do you read this damn thing?" he asked, turning the map upside down trying to make sense of it. 

"Weren't you paying attention in class, Malfoy?" 

"Obviously not Granger. Maybe I was too busy FANTASIZING about DARK CLOSETS instead of paying attention in class!" 

She stalked over and grabbed the map from him. 

"Is it something I said?" he asked in mock innocence. 

She shot him a look of pure loathing. "The campsite is about 5 miles from here." She took out the compass. "We go this way," she said, pointing west. 

Draco watched her in awe. "You really are a take charge kind of woman aren't you?" 

"I have to be in charge when the person I'm partnered with is a complete moron!" she said, folding up the map and putting it in the backpack, along with the compass. "Well?" she said, looking around at him. "Are you ready to go?" 

"Sure. You go first. That way I can stare at your ass the whole way there!" He smirked at her scandalized expression. 

"You are such a pervert Malfoy!" she said in disgust. 

"I know I am, and I know you love it!" he said, smiling. 

Hermione turned around and started to walk. She didn't want him to see that she was also smiling. 

He slid down from the rock and followed her. 

As they made their way through the woods, Draco began to whistle some hideous tune. Hermione shot him a dirty look over her shoulder. 

"What? Can't I even whistle?" he asked. 

"You can do whatever you want Malfoy, I'm not your Mummy." 

Ten minutes later, he was still at it. Hermione could take no more of the never ceasing noise. She halted suddenly and Draco ran right into her. 

"Will you please stop the whistling?" she asked. "It's very distracting to the wildlife and it makes me want to throttle you until you die!" 

He smiled and leaned down close to her face. He puckered his lips. "Gods! He's going to kiss me again!" she thought frantically. Instead, he whistled loudly in her face. 

"Oh very mature Malfoy!" she said, feeling a bit disappointed. Her eyes lingered on his lips. His tongue slid out and wet them as she stared. Suddenly she wanted nothing more than to feel those soft wet lips on hers again. "Get a grip Hermione!" she thought to herself. 

Draco noticed that she was looking hungrily at him. Suddenly he wanted to throw her down on the forest floor and rip her clothes off. 

"Malfoy!" 

"Huh?" he said, coming back to reality. "What did you say?" 

"I asked you if you would PLEASE stop the whistling?" 

He smirked. "Sure Granger, no need to beg. Although...," he said. "I would love to see you on your knees... begging of course." He chuckled. 

"AAAGGHHH! You are so... so..." 

"Devilishly handsome?" he finished for her. 

Hermione stomped her foot in frustration, about faced and continued to walk. 

"Would you please stop stepping on the back of my shoe?" she shouted a half an hour later. Draco, deprived of whistling, decided to torture her another way. He would walk up on her really close and then step on the back of her foot, making her shoe come off. 

She turned around so fast that she ran right into Draco's chest. Her heart stopped in mid-beat. She closed her eyes and tried to regulate her breathing. "Merlin he smells good!" she thought, sniffing his sweatshirt. 

"Granger, please stop smelling me and step back," he said in amusement. 

She looked up at his face. "Right. Sorry," she said, stepping back. Her foot caught on a branch and she started to fall backwards pinwheeling her arms. He snatched one of her hands and pulled her up so hard that she was once again pulled into his chest. 

This time she could hear his heart beating as she clung to him. "you actually do have a heart, Malfoy!" she said into his shirt. 

"Ha ha ha Granger. Yes I do have a heart, and it beats only for you, my dear Hermione." 

She quickly looked up at him, his expression was unreadable. She couldn't tell if he was serious or not. Deciding to act like she thought he was joking, she said, "You are so corny!" She then punched him in the arm. 

"I try to tell you my deepest feelings and you think I'm corny?" He shook his head and made his way over to a fallen log. "It's getting hot," he said, looking up at the sun. "Do you need a drink?" He took a swig from his canteen. 

Hermione strolled over and took the canteen from his hand. She looked at it, then at him. "Go ahead Granger. You can drink from it, I don't have cooties you know!" 

She took a long drink and almost choked as she saw Draco taking off his sweatshirt. 

"Aren't you hot?" he asked her. 

"Um... yes... I mean no, I'm not hot. Well maybe I'm a little warm..." She was looking everywhere but at his naked upper body as she spoke. 

"Granger, would you kindly look at me when you're talking to me? Or is my awesome sexy physique to much for you to bare?" 

"You wish Malfoy! It's just that the sun is blazing off of your pasty pale chest and it's blinding me!" she said taking off her sweatshirt, revealing a pink tanktop underneath. 

She took a seat next to him on the log. Making sure to keep a distance. 

"What does your top say?" he asked her, pointing. 

"It says "Death to Slytherin Purebloods," she said, laughing at his frown. 

"Where did you get a shirt that says that?" He slapped at a mosquito. 

"I made it myself. In fact, I made one for every girl in Gryffindor. 

"A woman of many talents!" 

"You have no idea," she said suggestively. 

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I have plenty of ideas. I know you're not that virginal bookworm you pretend to be. " I know you're a pervert!" 

"How do you know that?" she asked as he stood up. 

"Because I have proof!" he said, pulling out a piece of folded parchment from his pocket. 

Hermione's hand twitched to grab it. 

Draco opened it and with a smirk to end all smirks, he began to read out loud. "Who is the one boy at school you want to have sex with?" 

She jumped up and tried to reach it, but he easily lifted it higher out of her reach. "Draco Malfoy," he continued. She jumped again and almost managed to grab it. 

"You give that back to me right now Malfoy!" she yelled. "That is personal information!" 

"It concerns me too Granger." He turned away from her feeble attempts at snatching the parchment, and continued to read. "Question 6, Describe a fantasy..." 

"I hate you Malfoy!" 

"Right Granger!" he smirked. 

"Give me that damn parchment you evil bastard!" 

"Ooohhhhhh... you're so sexy when your pissed!" he said, kissing the air in her direction. 

"Give it to me now or I will kill you!" she said through clenched teeth. 

"I could give it back," he said, holding it out to her. As she reached for it, he pulled it back. "On second thought, I've grown quite attached to it." 

"I'm sure you have! You probably take it out every night and wank off to it!" she shouted. 

"How do you know Granger? Have you been hiding under my bed?" 

"Me? Hide under your bed? NEVER! I wouldn't go anywhere near your bed!" 

"I know you wouldn't, you seem to fancy dark closets instead!" he said laughing. 

She lunged at him and he held her off with one hand. "Do you want this Granger?" he asked, holding up the parchment. 

"You know I want it Malfoy!" 

He managed to push her away. "Let's see just how badly you really want it!" He shoved the parchment down the front of his shorts. "Well? You want it Granger, come and take it!" 

Hermione rolled her eyes at his immature behavior. "Fine!" she said. She reached her hand down his pants, trying not to think about what else was down there, and pulled out the parchment. She gave him a triumphant smile and put it in her pocket. 

Draco stood there in a state of shock. Never in a million years did he think she would actually do it. 

Hermione walked over to the backpack and took out the map. Draco joined her after the blood circulated back into his brain, allowing his legs to move. 

"Everything all right Granger? You haven't gotten us lost have you?" 

He was standing so close to her that all she had to do was reach out and... 

"Granger!" 

She shook the cobwebs from her head. "We're not lost, we're right on track. See?" She showed him their location on the map in correlation to the campsite. "It's not to far past the waterfall." 

"There's a waterfall?" He rubbed his hands together in glee. "Brilliant!" 

to be continued...


	4. 4

  
Author's notes: Skinny dipping anyone?  


* * *

Half an hour later... 

"Do you hear that?" Draco said, stopping suddenly. "I think I hear running water!" He took off through the woods. 

"Malfoy! You shouldn't go running off!" Hermione yelled to his retreating back. His form was slowly becoming a small dot, and she decided that she should follow, just in case he got lost or something. 

He was already in the water when she reached the river. She stopped at the shore where his clothes were neatly folded in a pile. Her head snapped up as she heard him call out, "Hey Granger! Come on in, it feels great!" 

She hesitated. "The water would feel nice," she thought. "But I don't want him to see me naked!" She watched him swimming around and decided to throw caution to the wind. "Turn around Malfoy!" she shouted. 

"It's not like you have something I haven't seen Granger!" he shouted back in amusement. "Stop being such a damn modest prude, and get the hell in the water before I come and drag you in!" 

Hermione was pretty sure that he meant what he said. "Will you please turn around?" she almost begged. 

Draco smirked and turned around. It took all of his will power not to sneak a peek. As if she read his mind, she shouted "And you better not peek!" 

She stripped off her clothes and put them next to his, although hers were not in a neat pile. She feared that any moment he would turn around and see her in all her bare assed naked glory. She slipped into the water relishing the feel of the cold water on her sunburned skin. "I can't believe I'm skinny dipping with Draco Malfoy!" she thought to herself. 

Hermione swam out to the middle, looked around, but didn't see Draco anywhere. Something snatched her ankle and pulled her under. When it let go, she surfaced to find him laughing like a loon. "You are so going to pay for that, Malfoy!" she said, lunging towards him and pushing his head under the clear blue water. He sputtered as he came up and then smiled at her as he treaded water. 

"You never cease to amaze me Granger," he said a little breathless. "I never thought a good girl like you would go swimming naked with a scoundrel like me." 

She gave him a look of pure mischief. "Oh I'm full of surprises Malfoy!" 

His eyebrows shot up and he responded in a sexy voice, "Really? What kind of surprises?" 

"These kind," she yelled and splashed him in the face. She then took off swimming, looking back over her shoulder at him. 

"You're such a tease Granger!" He shouted and took off after her. He followed her to the rocks in front of the waterfall, and they both looked up in awe. "Isn't it beautiful?" Hermione asked. 

Draco almost slipped and said something stupid like 'It's not nearly as beautiful as you are'. Luckily, he came to his senses and asked instead, "Do you think there is a cave behind it?" 

"I'm not sure," she replied. "It doesn't matter anyway. We don't have time to go cave exploring." She turned her head. "And anyway, our clothes are way over there." 

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked. 

"Well, I have no intention of wandering around naked in a dark cave with you!" She turned a bright shade of red and Draco noticed that she was not looking at him again. 

"Granger, I know for a fact that you want to be naked in the dark with me. The note, remember?" 

Hermione slammed her fist into the water. "Can't you just forget about that damn thing!" 

Draco was taken aback by her angry outburst. He retorted just as angrily, "No I can't forget about it Granger. The words are burned into my memory!" 

"It affected you that much huh?" she said sarcastically. 

"I haven't been able to get a minutes sleep since reading it! Not to mention that that totally mind blowing kiss on the stairs keeps playing over and over in my mind!" He suddenly realized that he'd said to much. 

Hermione, who had thought that Draco couldn't care less about their little encounter, was stunned speechless. 

"Why are you staring at me like a gigged frog?" he asked. 

She closed her mouth with a snap. Draco looked as if he would like nothing better than to drown himself. Hermione finally found her voice. "I don't know what to say. You think the kiss was mind blowing?" she asked a little embarrassed. 

"That was actually an understatement. It was ... I don't know quite how to describe it..." 

"How did it make you feel?" she asked curiously. Hermione knew of course how it made her feel, and wondered if he had felt the same weird sensation. 

"At first I didn't expect to feel anything, I mean I was just trying to make a fool of you." He paused and gathered his courage. "But when you kissed me back it was... was like the whole world disappeared and we were the only two people left." He looked at her smiling face. "That sounds so stupid doesn't it?" . 

"Are you saying that it was the best kiss you've ever had?" she asked, raising her eyebrow. 

"No. I've had better," he said with a smirk. 

"Then why did you say it was mind blowing?" she asked a little hurt. 

Draco looked into her eyes. "I know I'm going to regret this later!" he thought. "It wasn't the way you kissed... even though that was very exceptional... it was this weird feeling I got" 

"What do you mean by weird feeling?" she asked. 

"I got this tingling feeling in my lips and my stomach felt like it was turning inside out. Not to mention the raging hard on that wouldn't go away for days." Hermione laughed and he seemed to come back to his senses. "What am I doing? Telling you about my feelings? How gay am I?" 

Snippets of the conversation with Lavender and Parvati the night before flashed before her eyes and she busted out laughing. 

"What the hell are you laughing about Granger!" 

"You asking how gay you are!" she said, gasping for air. 

"How is that funny? I'm not gay!" 

"I know you're not, but there are some people who think you are." 

"Why would they think that?" he asked indignantly. "And who are these people?" 

"They are Lavender and Parvati and they think you have two feet in the sugar bowl just because they never see you with a girlfriend." Now she had the hiccups from laughing so hard. 

"Those two? Some of us in Slytherins think they are big lesbians, the way they constantly hang on each other and put their heads together and whisper! Stupid dyke bitches!" 

Hermione broke out in a new fit of hysterics, hiccuping so hard she almost puked. If you're not gay, then why do you not have a girlfriend? There are like a hundred girls in school who piss their knickers every time you walk by!" 

It was Draco's turn to chuckle. "Piss their knickers? That's brilliant Granger! And tell me," he said, coming closer, "Are you one of those girls?" 

"As if I would wet myself from just seeing you walk by, it would take more than that!" 

"Like what?" he asked, inching a little closer. Hermione stuck out her hand to stop him. 

"Come any closer and I'll..." 

"You'll what? Not be able to control yourself? What are you afraid of Granger?" 

"I'm not afraid of anything and you never answered my question." 

"What question?" 

"Why do you not have a girlfriend or a lover or a sex slave?" 

Draco smirked. "I already have sex slave, she's bound and gagged waiting for me at the Manor. Who needs a lover when you have a slave and as for the girlfriend... she found out about the slave and I had to kill her." 

"Would you be serious for once?" she asked in anger. 

"Fine! You want to know why I've never had a girlfriend? It's because the one girl I wanted, the one girl I've secretly loved for years, would never want me!" He turned and swam off. She watched him dive under the water and come up behind the waterfall. 

It took her awhile to process the information he just gave her. She felt shock at first, and then a warm happiness spread through her body. "He loves me!" she thought. Then doubt set in. "What if it wasn't me he was talking about?" She slowly swam over to him; diving under the water, she surfaced right next to him. 

Hermione reached out her hand and caressed his cheek. "The girl you're talking about, is it me?" 

He smiled at her. "No Granger, Millicent Bullstrode! Of course it's you!" 

"How long?" 

"What do you mean how long? How long is a kilometer? How long does it take to cook a turkey? How long is my penis?" 

Hermione rolled her eyes. "How long have you felt this way about me?" 

"Four years." 

"FOUR YEARS?" 

"Four LONG years! I had to sit by and watch you go out with Krum and then the Weasel. God that made me so angry! It should have been me!" 

"I can't believe that you fancied me all this time! You have a funny way of showing affection! Am I to believe that every time you called me Mudblood, you actually meant Honeybuns or Sweetheart?" 

"You don't understand Granger. There was no way I could tell you how I felt! I was not allowed to associate with Muggle borns. I tried to make myself hate you but all I did in the process was make you despise me instead!" 

"Yes, you were very good at pushing my buttons. I never would have guessed how you really felt. Then again, I also kept my feelings for you a secret." 

"And what exactly are your feeling for me Granger?" he asked her. 

"I...well..." She was very uncomfortable and he let her off the hook. "Never mind Granger, tell me when you're ready." 

An embarrassed silence descended, where they both kind of just looked everywhere but at each other. 

"Draco?" she asked, not able to bare the silence anymore. 

He slowly looked over at her. "Yes?" 

She moved in closer to him, and placed her hands on either side of his face. "This is how I feel about you." She leaned in and ever so softly, kissed him on the lips. Pulling back, she looked into those stormy grey eyes. 

He pulled her in for another kiss but she put a finger to his lips and shook her head. "No," she whispered. He raised his eyebrow and asked, "So you can kiss me, but I can't kiss you?" 

"You can kiss me, but you have to catch me first!" she said and dove under the water. He smiled and gave chase. 

to be continued...


	5. 5

  
Author's notes: Draco tells Hermione about his summer vacation from hell.  


* * *

"Do you always do everything so fast?" Hermione asked him as he caught up with her rather quickly. They were almost to the shore and she could stand in the water but still be covered up to her shoulders. 

"That's a rather personal question Granger!" 

"Well you know things about me that are personal... fantasy things that I would rather you not know about." She slicked back her wet hair from her forehead. "Tell me something personal about you and then we'll be even." 

Draco pondered as he treaded water. "Hmmm... what to tell you?" He snapped his fingers loudly. "I know! I'll tell you how I spent the summer after 4th year." 

"What did you do? Did you go somewhere special?" 

A darkness seemed to come over his face. "You could say that. I spent my summer holiday locked in the dungeon in the bowls of our house." 

Hermione gasped. "Why would your parents lock you away?" 

"My mum had nothing to do with it, she was away that summer, vacationing in the Bahamas. A much needed holiday after spending a few weeks in the crazy ward at ST. Mungo's." 

"So your father put you there? Why?" 

Draco locked eyes with Hermione. "Because of you," he said. 

"Me? What did I do?" 

"You bested me in every subject, again, and dear Lucius was beside himself with anger. I had been warned the previous year that if I let that- and I quote- 'Filthy Mudblood bitch' beat me again, I would be punished." 

"I'm so sorry!" Tears were standing in her eyes. 

"No need to apologize, it wasn't your fault. I had been punished before for trivial things, but my mother was always there to protect me. Not this time though!" 

"What exactly did he do to you?" 

"As soon as I arrived home, he threw me down on the floor. Then he picked up the poker from the fireplace and literally beat me till I passed out. I woke up in the dungeon on the cold hard floor. He kept me there for a month." Draco continued, after taking a deep breath, "Almost daily he would come in and Crucio me until I was screaming or unconscious." 

"NO!" 

"That's not the worst of though," he said bitterly. "I went days without food and water. When the house elf would finally bring me food, it was rotten and moldy. "I hate to admit this, but I ate it, I had to!" 

Hermione was afraid that Draco was going to cry. It was unbelievable to her that he was opening up like this , making himself so vulnerable. It made her love him even more. "Of course you had to do whatever you could to survive. I would have done the same!" 

Draco willed himself not to cry like a baby in front of her. "On the last day, the day before mum was to come home, he came in and tied me to a chair. I couldn't fight back, I was to weak. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at my heart and asked me if I had learned my lesson. I spit in his face," Draco said with a ghost of a smile. "He was so angry! I thought perhaps he would kill me, which I wanted him to do. Instead, he flicked his wand in my direction, causing my robes to come off." Draco gulped down the lump in his throat. "He took out a knife and preceded to put hundreds of tiny cuts all over my arms and chest. All the while screaming at me that Mudbloods were filth and deserved to die and that I better not let that Granger bitch make the family look bad." 

"Why that evil bastard of a child abuser!" Hermione was beside herself with anger. "He deserves to die a thousand painful deaths!" 

"Believe me I agree. I was so happy when he got his Dark Lord loving ass thrown in Azkaban. I pray daily that he dies in there and is never free to torture me or my mother again." 

"Did he beat your mother too?" 

"No, not that I ever saw. He just ruined her life is all. After she had me, she wanted nothing more to do with the Dark Arts. She just wanted to stay home and be a good mother. He forced her to go gallivanting around with the rest of the Voldemort fan club, where she halfheartedly participated in their stupid cruel schemes." 

"Why would she stay with a man like that." 

"Because she loves him. He wasn't always a mean sadistic cruel man. It was Voldemort who made him that way. After he was vanquished by Potter that first time, things kind of went back to normal. But when he came back my father turned into a fanatic again. I think he wanted to prove to Voldemort that he had never turned his back on him, so he immersed himself once again into the Dark Arts. But the more he tried to prove himself, the worse he screwed up." 

Draco looked at Hermione and smirked. "Well enough of this boring trip into my dysfunctional childhood." He suddenly grabbed Hermione by the arms and pulled her close to him. "Less talk, more action!" he said, devouring her mouth. 

Hermione had no time to think, so she just reacted, kissing him back with all the passion she could muster. His hands slipped beneath the water and caressed her breasts. She tilted her head back and let him kiss and lick the soft flesh of her neck. 

Draco slowly let one of his fingers slide over her stomach causing her to shiver. His lips crashed down on hers as he reached around with both hands, grabbed her ass and lifted her up. 

Hermione locked her legs around his waist and put her hands on his shoulders. She gazed into his lust filled eyes. "What are you waiting for?" she said softly. "Christmas?" 

"I don't think I could wait that long," he said, sliding into her. 

to be continued...


	6. 6

  
Author's notes: Someone is up a tree.  


* * *

"What should we do when we get to camp?" Draco asked, floating on his back. 

"What do you mean?" 

"How should we act... you know... around each other?" 

"I'm not sure. Could you imagine everyone's faces if we walked into camp holding hands?" Hermione said, laughing at the very thought. 

"That would be priceless! We should do it! Better yet, we should walk to the middle of the camp, rip each other's clothes off and start shagging like bunnies right in front of them!" 

Hermione laughed. "You are such a bad boy!" 

He stood up. "Oh yeah? How's this for bad? If I get to the shore before you, I'm going to take your clothes and hide them!" He raised his eyebrows and smirked at her before swimming off as fast as he could. 

Hermione was a little slow on the uptake, but her swimming lessons during the summer paid off and she easily caught up to him. She glanced over her shoulder as she passed him, a smug look on her face. 

He grabbed her foot as she kicked past and tried to slow her down. "You dirty cheater!" she shouted at him. 

"I never loose, Granger, even if I have to cheat!" 

"Well I don't cheat and I always win!" she said and kicked him in the face with her other foot. 

"OW!" he yelled, checking to see if his nose was broken. Through his teary vision, he watched her reach the shore and pick up his pile of clothes. "Granger what are you doing?" he asked. 

"What does it look like I'm doing, Malfoy?" she answered. 

"You wouldn't dare!" 

"Are you challenging me?" 

"Just put my clothes down Granger!" he said slowly walking through the water towards her. 

"No!" she said, running off into the woods. 

"Damn that girl!" he said through clenched teeth and made his way out of the water as fast as he could. 

He reached her just as she threw his clothes high up into a tree. "You want to play, Granger?" he asked and ran back to her clothes. She took off after him but was not fast enough. He picked up her stuff and tossed in the water, where they floated away. 

"Great! Now what?" she asked, trying not to look at his naked body. 

"You started it Granger!" he accused her. "I have no problem walking into camp starkers. All the girls would swoon and the guys would hide their heads in shame because they don't quite... shall we say... measure up?" he laughed. 

"Well I have no intention of strolling into camp bare-assed, so you better go get my clothes!" she said blushing. 

Draco was oogling her goodies unabashedly. "Maybe I don't want you to put your clothes back on," he said. She glared at him angrily. "Fine! I'll go get you damn clothes, but you have to scale that giant tree and retrieve mine! Have fun!" he said and she watched him slip into the water and grab her floating bra. 

She turned to the tall tree that was wearing Draco's clothes like Christmas ornaments. "How the bloody hell am I supposed to climb that?" she asked out loud. Reaching her hand up, she grabbed a low branch and pulled herself up. "I can't believe I'm climbing a tree like a naked monkey!" She located another branch and heaved herself up onto it, with great difficulty. 

Looking up she saw Draco's shorts. She managed to reach them and tossed it to the ground. She climbed a little higher and plucked a sock off a bird nest. A bee kept buzzing around her head and she swatted it away, almost loosing her balance. 

Draco was now under the tree, having rescued her clothing from certain death by drowning. "I wish a had camera right now, Granger!" he shouted up to her. "I'd take a picture and sell it to the Quibbler. I can see the caption now: NAKED MUGGLE GIRL LIVES IN TREE," he guffawed at his wonderful sense of humor. 

Hermione, who was not in the mood for his stupid jokes, snatched up one of his trainers and hurled it towards the ground as hard as she could. 

"OW! That hurt!" he cried out as the shoe hit him right on top of the head. 

Hermione let out a loud laugh. "It's not funny Granger!" he yelled to her. She continued laughing as she climbed higher and found his other sock. She dropped it down to him. 

"Hey Granger! I really like the view from down here!" he said, picking up his sock and looking up at her. 

Hermione located his other trainer and threw it as far away from the tree as she could. She then watched him stalk over to it, mumbling something under his breath. "Merlin he has a great body!" she said out loud. She was lost in her dirty thoughts when she heard him holler up to her, "Why are you just sitting there? Find my underwear!" 

She shook the cobwebs from her head and looked up. There, next to a beehive, was his boxers. "That's just friggin great!" she thought. Pulling herself up she inched out along the branch. It shook under her weight, and she stopped, a little scared. 

She reached out, but her finger tips only grazed the fabric. There were bees flying around her head and she could hear the loud buzzing coming from the hive. "Ohmygodohmygod," she said, breathing hard. 

She scooted out a little farther and just as she snatched his underwear, she heard a loud crack and then felt herself falling. She braced herself, knowing she was going to hit the ground hard. Instead, she landed in Draco's arms. 

Her eyes slowly opened and she saw him smiling at her. "Do you realize that this is the second time today that I've saved you from falling?" he said. "I think I deserve a reward!" 

Hermione opened her mouth to respond just as the hive hit the ground and hundreds of angry bees swarmed out. 

to be continued...


	7. 7

  
Author's notes: Attack of the killer bees!  


* * *

"AHHH Shit!" Draco yelled and dropped Hermione on her feet. Bees were everywhere and they both were trying desperately to wave them away. "God Damn! OW! Fuck! We need to get the hell out of here!" he said, taking her hand and pulling her behind him. 

"Get them off! Get them off of me!" she screamed, blindly running after him. He let go of her as a bee stung his hand. "Holy shit that hurt!" Hermione tripped and fell into Draco, knocking him to the ground. He scrambled up and ran after Hermione's naked bee covered body. He almost laughed despite the circumstances. 

They plunged into the cold water, holding their breath and staying under for a few seconds. Finally Hermione had to come up for air. She looked wildly around for the insects, but saw none. She reached down and pulled Draco up. "Are they gone?" he asked. "I think so," she said uncertainly. 

They looked at each other and broke out in hysterics. "You looked so damn funny running down to the water covered in bees and screaming like a banshee!" he said to her. "This is definitely a story to tell our grandchildren!" 

"What did you just say?" she asked, suddenly serious. 

Draco realized his mistake. "I... um...nothing, never mind" 

Hermione grinned at him. He was extremely flustered and changed the subject. "You have dead bee carcasses in your hair." 

She reached up and felt for the little bodies. "How gross!" she said, pulling them out. "Are they all gone?" 

"You must be kidding, right? You have enough hair for ten people, you'll be plucking them out of that tangled mess for weeks!" 

"Sorry! We all can't have beautiful manageable to die for hair like yours!" 

"Yes it is quite gorgeous, isn't it?" he said, shaking out his hair. "Although after this trip, I'm not sure it'll ever be the glorious mane it used to be. I'll have to go to the salon and have Pierre condition it for me." 

"Pierre?" Hermione snickered. "Someone named Pierre conditions your hair? Does he also give you a manicure and pedicure, or does he just give you a deep tissue body massage?" she asked, wiggling her eyebrows. 

"That, Granger, is a very disturbing image," he said shaking in disgust. "For your information, Sun Ling does my nails and Gretchen does the massage. Ah Gretchen!" he sighed, staring off into space. "What talented hands that woman has!" His face lapsed into a dream like state and he smiled obscenely. "The way she rubs and smacks and grips my..." 

"Hello!" Hermione said, waving her hand in front of his face. "As talented as Gretchen's hands undoubtedly are, we still need to get to the camp site," she said matter of factly. 

Draco exited his daydream and said, "Right. Shall we go get our clothes then?" 

They cautiously made their way back to tree. The bees were humming in the hive; here and there a stray one buzzed around. They grabbed their belongings and dressed, keeping a close eye on the hive and it's occupants. 

"Which way do we go?" he asked, pulling out the map. Hermione didn't need to see it. "This way," she said pointing. He tucked away the map, put the backpack on and took her hand in his. "Let's go!" he said, smiling down at her. 

TWENTY MINUTES LATER: 

"Berries!" she squealed in excitement. They were both starving and attacked the bush with vigor. "Man these are they best friggin berries I've ever had!" Draco said, shoving a handful into his mouth. 

Hermione took her berries and sat down on a log. Draco soon joined her. He threw one up and caught it with his mouth. 

"How do you do that?" she asked, brows knitted together. "Every time I try, it misses my mouth and hits me in the eye!" 

"Oh come on, it's not that difficult. Let me see you try," he said. She tossed one up, put her head back and it bounced right off her forehead. 

"I told you!" she said, rubbing the juice from her head. 

"For one thing, Granger, keep your eyes open. Then you need to move your mouth under the berry. Watch..." He demonstrated again. "Okay, now you try again." 

Hermione sighed. "If you insist." She put her head back, threw up the berry and quick as a flash, Draco stuck his head over hers and caught the berry in his mouth. 

She slapped him playfully. "You are such a showoff!" He smirked in agreement. Taking out a canteen, she said "We really should be on our way. I'm surprised they haven't come looking for us yet." 

"What time is it?" he asked. 

"I have no idea, but judging by the sun, it has to be around noon." She took a sip of water and then held it out to him. "Drink?", she offered. He took a huge swig and then capped it. 

"Ready?" he asked. "Watch your step, there's a hole right here." 

After a few minutes of walking he asked, "So, how do you think your looser friends are going to take the news that we're together?" 

"Why do you have to insult them?" 

"I don't know? Habit?" he said, shrugging his shoulders. 

"I'm not sure about Harry, but I think Ron will try to murder you. Ginny and Luna on the other hand, they'll probably be happy for me." What about your friends?" 

"The only friend I have already knows that I'm in love with you. The fake friends I have will certainly be shocked and then they'll drag me out and string me up from the Whomping Willow. After all, I'll be a Blood Traitor in their eyes." 

"Maybe we should wait awhile to tell your Sytherin buddies." 

"No way! I'm tired of living a lie. I want to be free to think, act and believe what I want. I'm not afraid of them. The only person I'm afraid of finding out about us is Lucius." 

"To tell you the truth, he scares the hell out of me too!" 

"Why don't we just enjoy this time together and worry about all that when we get back?" he asked kissing the top of her head. 

"Sounds good to me!" she replied. "Oh look! We're there" 

They came to a clearing and in the distance they could see their classmates cooking food over the campfires outside their tents. 

Draco squeezed her hand. "Are you sure you want to do this?" 

"Yes," she said. 

"Well then, here goes nothing!" 

to be continued...


	8. 8

  
Author's notes: Draco and Hermione finally make it to the camp.  


* * *

"I wonder what happened to Malfoy and Hermione?" Ernie asked the group around his campfire. He was the only one standing. Terry, Hannah, Justin and Susan were sitting on rather uncomfortable logs. 

"He probably killed her and is eating her as we speak, he is an evil bastard after all," Terry said. 

"Come on now, he's been a lot better this year," Hannah said to Terry. 

"What the hell are you talking about woman? I haven't noticed him being any less of an arrogant git, the way he struts around the castle like he's King Shit of Turd Hill!" Terry absolutely hated Malfoy. "He can go f..." Terry did not get to finish his sentence because Justin interrupted. 

"Someone bring me my smelling salts!" he said in disbelief. 

"What the hell!?" Terry said looking over to where Justin was staring open mouthed. 

"I'm hallucinating, right?" Susan asked. 

"I'm afraid not. That IS Hermione Granger holding hands with Draco Malfoy," Lavender said, walking over to them. 

"I don't freakin believe what I'm seeing!" Terry said. 

"Are you lot seeing what I'm seeing?" Parvati asked, running over with Mandy Brocklehurst. 

"No way! This cannot be happening!" Ernie said in a whisper. 

"Take a look at Malfoy's chest! Yummy, Yummy!" Lavender said to Parvati and they broke out in girlish laughter. 

Terry shot them a look of pure disgust. "Oh please!" Lavender stuck her tongue out at him. 

The whole class stood there in bewilderment and awe, and watched two people who were once sworn enemies, traipse into the camp like giddy lovers. 

"I think I'm going to puke," Hermione said under her breath. 

Draco tightened his grip on her hand, brought it up and kissed it. "It's going to be all right. Just take deep breaths and smile." 

"Mr. Malfoy! Miss Granger! Where have you been?" the Professor asked running over to them. "I was just about to send a search party out to look for you!" He stopped in his tracks when he spotted their intertwined fingers. He looked just like a deer caught in the headlights. 

"Something wrong Professor? Are you feeling all right?" Hermione asked in concern. 

The Professor gathered his witts about him and chose to ignore the fact that there was a Gryffindor and a Slytherin holding hands in front of him. "Y...yes..I'm fine, thank you Miss. Granger. 

Draco tried to repress a smile as he looked at the flustered teacher. "We're sorry we're so late, got lost you know!" he said and winked. 

"Right...," the Professor said, unconvinced. He had a good idea why they were late and it had nothing to do with getting lost. "Follow me and I'll show you to your spot where you will pitch your tent." 

Draco and Hermione, still holding hands, followed their teacher. They walked right past the flabbergasted group of classmates. Draco nodded his head at them. "Wonderful afternoon huh?" He smirked at them. "Good day for a miracle wouldn't you say?" 

No one said anything. 

The Professor led them over to a vacant spot on the edge of the woods. Their bags were sitting beside the unassembled tent. "Your first task is to put up your shelter and then, after I have inspected it, you may build your fire." 

"What about food, sir?" Draco asked. 

"I will provide the food for you to cook- but only for today. Tomorrow, you will find your own food." 

"Um...sir?" Hermione asked are there any... you know... loos around here?" 

"Miss Granger! You should know better. I told you in class that there would be no facilities, you will have to find a spot in the woods to do your business." 

"That is just disgusting!" she said under her breath. 

"Where are the directions for the tent, sir?" Draco asked, searching through the fabric. 

"No directions, my boy! You need to cooperate with each other and figure it out together. Now I must go and lead a game of ultimate frisbee. Cheerio!" 

They looked at each other. "This should be easy, right?" Hermione said uncertainly. 

"I hope so," he answered looking up at the sun. 

"Before we start, I need to pee before my bladder explodes," she said, glancing around. "Make sure no one looks, okay?" 

"Can I watch?" 

"You are so nasty! No you can't!" she said, walking into the trees, his laughter ringing behind her. 

"I just hope a bear doesn't sneak up on you and bite your bare ass!" he said, smiling. 

to be continued...


	9. 9

  
Author's notes: Tempers flare and an argument ensues.  


* * *

"Here! Let me do it!" 

"I've got it , Granger, I don't need your help!" 

"You're doing it all wrong!" 

"I AM not! Ouch! Stupid Muggle cloth house!" 

"If you would just listen to me, we'd already have it put up!" 

"If you would shut your stinking pie hole for a damn minute, maybe I could hear my self think!" 

"They're fighting like an old married couple already!" Parvati said to Lavender. 

"Who wants to take bets on how long they'll last?" Terry said, catching the frisbee. 

"Listen to them! I bet you ten Galleons they don't last one day," Susan said, diving towards the flying disk. 

The game abruptly came to a halt as they heard Draco yell, "Fine, Granger! Do it your self, I'm through!" They all watched him throw a tent peg and stomp off into the woods. 

"That's right, Malfoy, quit why don't you. You're utterly useless anyway!" 

"That was way harsh," Ernie said shaking his head slowly. 

"Okay class, back to the game," the Professor said. 

Hermione wiped the tears from her cheeks and went in search of the tent peg that Draco had thrown. "What the hell was I thinking? It's never going to work between us. He is just such an asshole!" she thought. 

She rummaged through the bushes and found the peg. "I'll show him! I'll put this friggin tent up myself and then make him sleep outside like the dog he is!" 

HALF AN HOUR LATER... 

"I did it! Go me! Go me!" she said, dancing around and laughing. "Now I'll go find that blonde sorry excuse for a man and rub his face in it!" 

She walked into the woods and yelled "Draco!" She didn't see him, so she walked in deeper. "Malfoy!" And there he was, sleeping against a tree. "How dare he take a nap when I'm busting my arse putting up that shelter!" She stepped up to him and kicked him in the leg. "Damn it Malfoy, GET UP!" 

Draco slowly opened his eyes. "What the hell are you screaming about now? I came out here to get some peace and quiet and here you are ruining my nap by running your mouth again." 

Hermione had had enough. She broke down crying like a baby. Draco jumped up and embraced her. "Hermione, What is wrong?" He stroked her hair and kissed the top of her head. "Why are you crying?" 

"I'm crying because you are such a jerk!" 

"You've always known I was a jerk and it never made you cry before. Well just that that one time..." 

"True," she said, laughing through her tears. 

He put a finger under her chin and tilted her head up. "Why do I do this to her? I love her so much and yet I always seem to hurt her," he thought, looking into her splotchy face. "I'm so sorry I said those things. I was hot and tired and will you please forgive me?" 

Hermione, against her better judgment, found herself accepting his apology. "I forgive you, after all, I was just as mean as you were." 

"Yes you were. I seem to recall you telling me I was useless," he said grinning. 

"I didn't mean it. I can think of many uses for you, as matter of fact." She pulled his head down and ravished his lips. He pulled her closer and slid his hands under her top, relishing the feel of her soft skin under his fingertips. She ran her hands slowly over his bare chest and then down towards his belt. 

"What are you doing?" he asked into her lips. 

"Finding ways to use you," she answered, undoing his belt and zipper and sliding her hand inside. She wrapped her hand around his cock and gently started moving it up and down. 

"Excuse me!" the Professor said loudly. 

"Bloody hell!" Draco said and hurriedly moved to do his shorts back up. 

Hermione turned around and stood in front of Draco so he could fix himself without the Professor seeing. She had a huge smile plastered on her flushed face. "Yes sir? Did you need to see us for something?" 

The Professor's eyes flicked back and forth between the two of them. "Do they think I'm stupid? I know what they were up to! Bloody teenagers and their bloody hormones!" he thought to himself. "I see that you have finally managed to put up your tent. I must tell you that you will receive only half credit for it though." 

"But sir!" Hermione said in a whiny voice. 

"Miss Granger, you had to put it up yourself while Mr. Malfoy here decided to take a siesta!" The Professor said angrily. "Part of the task was to work with each other, and obviously the both of you did not do that! Now you need to get a move on and build your fire... together... without fighting. Do I make myself clear?" 

"Yes sir," Draco said. 

"Right away sir," Hermione added. 

The Professor gave them one last look of contempt and then turned and walk away. 

"That was close!" Draco said, adjusting himself. 

"We'll finish that later, but now we need to get this fire built," she said, kissing him again. "Although, I'd rather stand here and kiss you. For some reason, I can't get enough of your lips, they're the sexiest part on your body. 

"My muscular body isn't sexy to you?" he asked flexing his bicep and kissing it. 

"Oh come on! We need to find some fire wood and a couple of big stones." 

"Or how about my great ass?" he said, turning around and squeezing his butt cheeks together. He looked over his shoulder and smirked. "You like?" He wiggled his eyebrows. 

Hermione shook her head at him giggling. "You are so retarded!" 

"I'm a sexy retard!" he said, hanging his tongue out of the side of his mouth and crossing his eyes. He walked over to her dragging one foot and making slurping noises. "Give your sexy retarded man a smootchie!" he said, drooling down his chin. 

"Get away from me!" Hermione said laughing as he grabbed her and tried to kiss her. He couldn't hold the face anymore and ended up laughing along with her. 

"Lets go make some fire!" she said, wiping the tears away from her eyes. 

to be continued... 

Previous Next


	10. 10

  
Author's notes: Some gets attacked by a bear.  


* * *

DISCLAIMER :Come on Baby Light My Fire belongs to The Doors 

"What do I do with these rocks?" Draco asked, dumping them in a pile next to the firewood. 

"Arrange them in a circle on the ground." 

"Like this?" he asked, looking up at her with a huge grin. 

"Not a square! A circle!" she said in exasperation. "You know? Round? Like your big fat round head?" 

"Damn Granger! I was just joking!" he said harshly. 

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she said apologetically. "It's just hotter than Hades out here!" She wiped the sweat from her brow with her shirt and fanned her face with her hand. 

"Done!" he said, getting up and brushing the dirt from the seat of his shorts. "What's next?" 

"We put the wood in the circle," she said, picking up some sticks. "You can put in like two of those really thick ones." 

"Now what?" 

"You really didn't pay much attention in class did you?" 

"How could I? With you sitting across the aisle from me looking all bookish and sexy?" His face became all dreamy looking again. "The way you tap your quill on the end of your nose, the cute way the tip of your tongue protrudes when you write, the times you cross and uncross your legs... how could I have concentrated in class?" 

"How is it that no one ever caught on to the fact that you fancied me? You seem to have spent a lot of time studying my every gesture." 

"It wasn't like I made it blatantly obvious. And anyway, if some one did see me looking at you, they probably assumed that I was just trying to make your head explode or something." 

"True, very true," Hermione said, putting down some kindling . "Now how does he expect us to light this?" She spotted the Professor over at Terry and Hannah's tent. "I'll be right back," she said to Draco. 

"Sir?" she said, walking up to him. 

"Yes Miss Granger?" 

"How exactly are we supposed to start the fire?" 

"Ah yes, I'd forgotten to give you these," he said, taking out a box of matches. "Here you go. Be careful how you use these, each group only gets one box." 

"Thank you Professor." 

"Here light it with these," she said to Draco, tossing the matches to him. He just looked at them like they were from outerspace. 

"Um..." 

"Here. Give them to me!" she said with a smirk. "This is how you light a match... take one out..." 

"Are you telling me that fire comes from these little sticks?" 

"Watch and learn, my dear ignoramus!" she said, closing the box and striking the match. 

Draco's eyes almost popped out of his head. "Amazing!" he said in awe. "Let me try!" He snatched the box from her hand and took out a match. "Scratch it against this?" he asked looking at her. 

"Yes, but be careful, sometimes they snap in half. You have to..." 

"Yes! I did it!" he yelled, watching the tiny flame. 

"And on your first try. What an accomplishment!" Hermione said, as though she were talking to a two year old. She couldn't help but smile at his childish glee. 

"Ow, damn it!" he said, as the flame burned down the match. He stuck his boo boo finger in his mouth. 

"Let me see," Hermione said, pulling on his hand. "It's not that bad. Want me to kiss it and make it better?" she asked, looking up at him . She kissed the tip of it and then slid it into her wet mouth, sucked it and slid it back out. 

"You're going to be the death of me, you know!" Draco said in a husky voice. "As much as I want this to continue, I must insist that we finish the fire. We can't eat until it's done, and I need all the energy I can get for later on tonight," he said taking his finger back. 

"Okay," she said and plopped herself down on the ground. "You can light the match and then you need to put it here." She pointed at the dried grass and leaves. Draco lit the match and put it on the kindling, where it started to smoke. 

"Now put your head close and gently blow," she told him. Hermione moved her bushy hair to one side, leaned forward and blew into the smoke. 

"Like this?" he asked, following her lead. 

They smiled at each other, and when Draco saw a tiny flame pop up, he jumped back a little. Hermione started humming a song while putting little sticks on the fire. 

"What's that you're humming?" 

"It's a Muggle song from the 1960's by a group called The Doors" 

"The Doors?" he scoffed. "What kind of stupid name is that?" 

Hermione rolled her eyes. "What kind of dumb name is the Weird Sisters? They're not even sisters... hell, they're not even girls!" 

"I never did understand that. Anyway, their music sucks, so who cares?" he said, shrugging his shoulders. "Will you sing some of that song for me?" he asked her suddenly. 

Hermione blinked. "Are you serious? I don't know... I'm not that much of a singer..." He looked at her with sad puppy dog eyes. "Stop looking at me like that!" She was blushing and nervous. "Oh all right!" 

He sat back and smiled as she started to sing. 

"You know that it would be untrue. You know I would be a liar. If I were to say to you, girl, we couldn't get much higher." She looked over at him. He was leaning forward, hanging on her every word. Hermione closed her eyes and sang the chorus. "Come on baby light my fire. Come on baby light my fire. Try to set the night on fire." 

Draco was surprised at how well Hermione could sing. There was something very sensual about the way she sang the words. 

"The time to hesitate is through. No time to wallow in the mire. Try now, we can only lose and our love become a funeral pyre. Come on baby light my fire..." she sang. 

Draco stood up suddenly, picked up a shocked Hermione and flung her over his shoulder. "Time to light my fire," he said, taking her into the tent. 

45 minutes later... 

"Let's go get cleaned up before we eat," he said, holding open the tent flap for her. Thunderous applause exploded as they climbed out of the entrance. 

"Way to go, Malfoy!" Justin yelled. 

"Do you think you could have been any louder?" 

"Yeah! I don't think they heard you back in Hogsmead!" 

Terry was wolf- whistling and humping the air. 

"Enough!" the Professor said to them. 

Hermione turned and fled back into the tent. Draco smirked and said to them, "Shows over... for now. There might be an encore performance later this evening though!" He laughed and went in after Hermione. 

"I have never been so embarrassed in my entire life!" she said, shaking. 

"Not even last month when you fell down the stairs on the way to the Great Hall?" He smiled obscenely at the memory. "There you were... lying at the bottom of the staircase, books scattered around you, skirt all up, pink lace knickers all exposed" 

"You're right, that was more embarrassing. All those people looking at me... including you!" 

"I couldn't get the that image out of my mind for weeks. Good wanking material that was!" he said and winked at her. 

"I can't go back out there," she said. "Please don't make me!" 

"Come on now, where's that famous Gryffindor courage? Just ignore the assholes and everything will be fine." He took her hand and drug her out of the tent. 

No one even turned to look at them, it seemed that the novelty had already warn off. "See? No one even cares. I'm going to go talk to the Professor about getting some food to cook, I'll be right back," he said, giving her a swift kiss on the cheek. 

He came back five minutes later with a package of hot dogs and some buns. "The Professor said there's a pond just over there where we can wash up." 

Hermione walked over to their bags, which were still outside the tent, and rummaged around for some clean clothes. "I cant' wait to change my clothes. I must smell like hot garbage!" She waited for a reply and when she didn't get one she turned around. Draco was standing stock still, an intent look on his face. "Malfoy?" 

"Shhh!" he said. "Listen. Do you hear that?" 

Hermione's eyebrows knitted together as she concentrated hard to hear. "I don..." 

Just then a huge bear came crashing through the trees on the other side of the camp. People screamed and ran around in terror. Hermione ran forward but Draco held out an arm to keep her behind him. 

The bear was chasing Justin around the camp. He was jumping the fires and screaming for help. "We need to do something!" she yelled. The animal slowed down and turned towards the sound of Hermione's voice. "Holy Hell!" Draco said as the bear charged at them. He turned and ran into the tent, leaving Hermione standing there alone. 

Draco was screaming and trying desperately to zip up the flap. The bear ran right past Hermione and straight for Draco. It was roaring and pushing it's huge head into the tent. Hermione did the only thing that came to her mind, she grabbed a log from the fire and rushed at the animal. 

to be continued...


	11. 11

  
Author's notes: Hermione is a hero and the other campers hear something that shocks them.  


* * *

"Leave him alone!" Hermione screamed. She knew her hands were badly burned but didn't care, all she cared about was the fact that the man she loved was going to die if she didn't do something. 

Rushing up, she raised the log over her head and brought it down as hard as she could on the bear's back. "Take that you bastard!" she said. The log broke in half, sending part of it hurdling onto the tent where it smoldered and then ignited. 

The bear let out a painful growl and pulled it's head out of the tent. It shook it's hide and then took off back into the forest. 

Hermione watched it run away and then turned back to the tent. "No!" she screamed, dropping the other half of the log and rushing over to the shelter. It was engulfed in flames and smoke was billowing out of the inside. 

"Draco!" she shouted into the entrance, and then coughed as she inhaled tons of smoke. "Someone help!" No one was coming, so she pulled at the tent flap with all her might, ignoring the pain in her burned hands. There was a loud ripping noise as the zipper broke and she plunged inside. 

"Draco!" she shouted through the smoke. Her eyes were stinging and she couldn't breathe. She got down on the ground and crawled around feeling for him. Her fingers finally touched his hair. She felt down his body until she found his legs and then pulled him out by his feet. 

Hermione laid his unconscious body in her lap. People were now running everywhere. The Professor yelled 'Aguamenti!', which put the fire out. He waved his wand and the whole mess disappeared, a new undamaged tent in it's place. 

"Is Mr. Malfoy all right?" he asked, kneeling down next to her and lifting Draco's eyelids. 

"I don't think so! I can't wake him up!" she cried. "Draco? Please open your eyes!" she said, smoothing back his hair and rocking him. No response. "Please wake up. Please? I love you!" 

"Did she just say that she loves him?" Ernie asked, turning to Parvati. 

"I believe she did," Parvati said in an astonished voice. 

"What did you just say?" Draco asked in a whisper, opening his eyes a little. 

"I said I love you, you big jerk!" She planted kisses all over his ash covered face. 

"You look like hell, Granger," he said, coughing. 

"You don't look so great yourself!" His hands automatically went to his head to smooth down his hair. 

"I don't think that is going to help!" she said, pulling him to his feet with the help of the Professor. 

"Do I look that bad?" he asked, having another coughing attack. 

"Yes, Malfoy. You look like you were stuck up a Blast Ended Scroot's backside!" she said, laughing and pounding him on the back. 

"OW! Not so hard, Granger. I have delicate bones!" 

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You have delicate bones, you have your hair done at a salon and you scream like a little girl when your scared? If I didn't know better, I'd say you were a little... well you know!" 

"Granger! Are you questioning my sexuality?" 

"After today, I don't think anyone will ever question your sexuality again. They know you're a big stud, so just calm down." 

The Professor cleared his throat. "Yes... well... you seem to be all right Mr. Malfoy, no harm done! I have some towels and soap in my tent, I'll just go and get them. You two can go down to the pond and get cleaned up. I'll even prepare some food for you to eat when you get back to camp!" 

"Thank you sir, that would be great," Draco said gratefully. 

They washed up and changed their clothes. "I think I'll throw these in the fire when we get back," Draco said picking up his filthy shorts and socks. They started up the path to the camp. 

"Thank you for saving my life, by the way." 

"Your welcome. But seeing as I started the fire in the first place, I thought I'd better save you." 

Draco stopped walking and looked sharply at her. "What do you mean you started the fire? You could of killed me!" 

"Don't get all snippy with me! You're the one who ran away like a coward and left me alone with a crazed wild animal!" She was beside herself with anger. "It's nice to know that in a life and death situation you'll always think of yourself first! I should have known not to expect a Slytherin to show even an ounce of courage to save his girlfriend, that he SAYS he loves!" 

"I do love you!" he said. "I'm just not used to looking out for anyone but myself." 

"Well you had better get used to it, because I'm not going anywhere." 

"Good!" he said, kissing her gently on the lips. "Now tell me about how you defeated the rabid beast and saved the man you love from certain doom." 

She told him the story and when she was finished, he took her blistered hands in his and kissed them. "I promise that next time you're in peril, I'll do my best to not put my tail between my legs and run away." 

"Maybe some of my courage will accidentally rub off on you!" she said. 

"Maybe, anything's possible you know!" 

to be continued...


	12. 12

  
Author's notes: Let's see what gGnny, Harry and Ron have been up to...  


* * *

Meanwhile...Back at Hogwarts... 

"Hey Gin, finished in the library?" Harry asked and kissed her on the cheek. 

Ginny took a seat at the table where Ron and Harry were eating lunch. "I can't wait for these exams to be over with, I'm so sick of studying!" she said, picking up a chicken leg. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I love Hermione, but I can't understand how she can sit in the library for days and not have any life what so ever." Ginny was waving the chicken leg around as she spoke. 

"Watch what you're doing with that chicken, Gin!" Harry said, narrowly missing being hit in the glasses. 

"Wh... oh right, sorry." She took a big bite and looked over at Ron, who for once, was not shoveling food into his mouth. He was moving pieces of corn around on his plate, looking sad and dejected. 

Ginny raised her eyebrow at Harry and motioned with her head towards Ron. "What's his problem?" she whispered. 

"One guess." 

"Hermione?" Ginny asked. 

At the mention of Hermione's name, Ron perked up and glanced around the Great Hall looking for her. 

"She's not here mate," Harry said. 

Ron threw down his spoon and put his head in his hands. "I can't stop thinking about her! Do you think she'd take me back?" he asked, raising his head and looking at them hopefully. 

"Pitiful, just pitiful," Ginny said, shaking her head in mock sadness. 

"Ron, you need to get over her, it's been months!" Harry said. "She's never going to take you back, she's made that perfectly clear, so just move on already!" 

"I'll beg her, I'll tell her I'll kill myself if she won't give me another chance!" 

"Stop being such a drama queen, Ron!" Ginny said. "Forget about Hermione and find yourself another girl." 

"I don't want another girl, I want her!" Ron wailed. "Besides, no other girl wants me!" 

Ginny rolled her eyes in disgust at her sniveling brother. "Well, I'm pretty sure that she has moved on and has no intention what so ever of getting back together with you." 

"Moved on? Do you mean that she's found someone else?" Ron asked. "Who is it? I'll rip their head off and feed it to Aragog's offspring!" 

"I'm not sure, I have my suspicions though." For a while Ginny had noticed that Hermione was constantly watching Malfoy. She even caught her watching him through the bookcases in the library. When she confronted her about it, Hermione just laughed it off. It wasn't the first time Ginny had suspected that Hermione liked Malfoy. The summer they stayed at Grimauld Place, she had shared a room with her. Many nights Hermione woke Ginny up by talking in her sleep, moaning Malfoy's name and thrashing about. 

"Ron, there are plenty of girls who would love to go out with you. As a matter of fact, I was just talking to one today and..." 

"Harry!" Ginny interrupted. "I thought we decided that it wasn't a good idea..." 

"What are you two talking about?" 

"A blind date," Harry said with a smile. 

Ron shook his red head forcefully. "No way. Absolutely not! I'd rather beg Hermione to take me back! Our relationship was great, I know she'd say yes!" 

"It was not great, it was horrid and never would have lasted!" 

"Why not?" 

"First off, you are not her intellectual equal..." 

"Are you calling me stupid?" 

"If the shoe fits!" Ginny said, tossing back her long red hair. 

"If I'm so dumb, why did Dumbledore make me a Prefect?" 

"I'm sure I don't know! Moment of insanity?" 

Harry interrupted before things got out of hand. He spoke in a calm low voice. "Ron, there is someone for everyone and Hermione was just not your soul mate. Your's is still out there." 

Ron looked defeated. "Fine," he said sadly. "I'll go on your blind date but she better not be a troll!" 

"Good!" Ginny said happily. "I'll go talk to her after lunch and go over all the details with her." She finished her chicken and said, "Are we done?" 

They all got up and as they were leaving the Great Hall, Ron turned to Harry and Ginny. "Who do you think is Hermione's soul mate?" 

Harry thought hard. "I don't know, but as long as it's not Malfoy, I don't care who it is!" 

Ginny flinched and looked over at Harry. His face was red and hatred crackled in his eyes. 

Ron sniggered. "As if she would like Malfoy! Can you imagine?" 

Harry and Ron laughed like it was the most ludicrous thing in the world. Ginny gave a fake laugh and said, "I should go and find your mystery date, see you later!" She kissed Harry goodbye and ran off. 

"Malfoy! That's so funny!" Ron said, still laughing. 

Harry and Ron were in the common room before dinner, playing a game of exploding snap. 

"She's agreed to meet you tomorrow in Hogsmead!" Ginny said, rushing through the portrait hole. 

Ron's face turned green and he swayed in his seat. "You're joking right?" 

"Nope, not joking. She was really excited, seeing as she has fancied you for a such a long time." 

Ron's eyes narrowed. "She has? Who exactly is this girl? It's not Luna is it?" Luna had had a crush on Ron since fifth year. He really liked her... as a friend... but nothing more. 

"It's not Luna, she's already got herself a man," Ginny said. 

Harry and Ron were shocked. "Who?" Harry asked wondering what sane person would go out with Loony Lovegood. 

"Promise not to tell?" 

They promised. Ginny leaned forward, glanced around the common room to see if anyone was eavesdropping and then whispered, "Neville!" 

"Not really!" Ron asked in amazement. "Well if it's not Luna, then who is it?" 

"If we tell you beforehand who she is, you'll never give her a chance," Harry said cryptically. 

"I don't know about this," Ron said, leaning back in his chair and throwing a card down on the table. "You said she's not a troll, but you two obviously have bad taste, just look who you're going out with." 

"Are you saying we're ugly?" Ginny said, standing up so fast, she knocked her chair over. 

"I was just joking Gin. Honestly!" 

"I don't think Ron deserves to have a girlfriend, Harry. He should die alone in a house full of cats pissing all over his decaying body!" 

Harry couldn't help but laugh. "Come on Ginny, everyone deserves to be happy. Ron included." 

"I just hope this girl is not a beast." 

"Trust me, mate! She's quite good looking," Harry said. 

"I can't help but think this whole blind date thing is going to blow up in my face!" Ron said, just as the cards exploded, singing his eyebrows. 

to be continued...


	13. 13

  
Author's notes: Hermione tells a ghost story around the camp fire.  


* * *

As the sun went down on their first day, Draco and Hermione were sitting around their fire playing UNO with some of the others. 

"This Muggle card game is pretty cool, Finch-Fletchley," Draco said, putting down a yellow draw two. Susan picked up two cards. 

"I never thought I'd hear Malfoy say he liked anything that was Muggle!" Ernie said, adding his reverse card to the pile. Susan then put down a yellow 2 card. 

"Wait till my father finds out that I'm in love with a Muggle! He's going to AK me for sure," Draco said, laying a yellow 5 card down and saying UNO. 

"Do you think he'll really kill you?" Lavender asked, trying to sneak a peek at Parvati's cards. 

"Most definitely! You have no idea what a sick twisted bastard he is. Thank Merlin he's locked up in Azkaban!" 

Hermione put down a yellow reverse. "Your turn again, Malfoy." 

He looked at his card. It was a red skip. "Damn! I had UNO," he said drawing a card from the pile. "Maybe I don't like this game anymore!" It was a yellow 1, he laid it down and said UNO again, smiling. 

Susan put down a yellow 9 card. Ernie changed the color with a green 9. Justin's card was skip, so Lavender missed a turn. "You're going to pay for that!" she said to him. 

Parvati put down a red skip, making Hermione roll her eyes. "That's just great Parvati! Malfoy's last card is red. Now he's going to win!" 

"How was I supposed to know he had a red card!" 

Draco shouted "Wooo Hooo! I win!" 

"Of course he does," Terry said walking over. "Damn evil Death Eater!" 

"What the hell is your problem Boot?" Draco asked, standing up. 

"My problem?" Terry said, getting in Draco's face. "My problem is you. They way they let you back into school after what you did last year! You should be in Azkaban in a cell next to your murdering bastard of a father!" 

"You just better watch what you say Boot! And get the hell out of my face before I fucking hurt you!" Draco said pushing Terry. 

"Draco was cleared of all charges, Terry," Hermione said, standing between the two boys. "So leave him alone!" 

Terry looked with fierce anger at Hermione. "How can you forgive him for what he did? He almost killed Katie and Ron and you say you love him? You need some serious mental help Hermione! And all of you," he said, looking around at the others. "Have you forgotten about him letting the Death Eaters into the school? Forgotten about Dumbledore?" he asked. "How can all of you act like he's been your friend for these past seven years? Sitting around playing cards and laughing with him? You're all delusional if you think he's changed! He's still the same arrogant asshole he always was!" 

"Shut the hell up!" Draco yelled. 

"Or what?" 

"Or I'll seriously injure you!" 

"Give me a break, Malfoy!" Terry said, rolling his eyes. 

"I'll give you a break! I'll break your fucking neck!" Draco said lunging towards Terry. Hermione tried to hold him back to no avail. Draco jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. 

Hermione looked around for the Professor but he was no where in sight. "Figures!" she thought. "Help me pull them apart," she said to Ernie and Justin. They ran over and grabbed Terry by the back of his shirt, almost ripping it off. Hermione and Susan each took one of Draco's arms and pulled him off Terry. 

"He doesn't deserve a second chance! His Death Eater friends killed my Mum. He's a heartless bastard!" Terry screamed. "He cares about no one but himself, you'll see Hermione, mark my words!" 

Hermione was livid. "How dare you speak of things you know nothing about!" She turned to Terry. 

Draco thought she was a sight to behold, her angry eyes flashed in the moonlight and for a moment he was terrified of her. "Remind me never to make her that pissed off!" he said to Susan, who was still holding him back. 

"Voldemort was going to kill Draco and his mum and dad if he didn't kill Dumbledore! Did you know that? He was trying to protect his family. So don't you dare judge him! You would have done the same in his situation!" Hermione shouted. 

Terry rolled his eyes. "He sure does have you fooled! He hasn't changed on fucking bit! He's a murderer, Hermione! He was going to kill Dumbledore!" 

"Harry testified in front of the Wizengamot that Draco lowered his wand on the tower. He is not a killer. I'm sorry that your mother was murdered, but Draco had nothing to do with that. People make mistakes, Terry. Everyone does deserve a second chance. 

Just then the Professor strolled out of the woods. "Ah! What a lovely night for a moonlit walk!" He glanced around at the scene. Terry was sporting a black eye and Justin and Ernie were still holding on to his ripped shirt. "Is anything the matter?" He asked. 

"No sir. Everything's just fine," Terry said, wrenching his shirt out of the boys' hands. He glanced at Draco, searching his face to see if it betrayed what Hermione just said. He finally decided, grudgingly, that maybe he had been wrong about Malfoy. 

"All right then, someone go fetch the others and we'll all meet in front of my tent around the fire." 

They all sat around the huge campfire which was crackling and popping. "It is a great Muggle camping tradition to tell ghost stories around the fire, so that's what we're going to do," he announced to the not so thrilled students. "Do I have a volunteer?" 

Everyone looked at each other but no one offered. "If no one wants to volunteer, I'll have to pick someone!" he said. 

"I'll go first," Hermione said, getting up from her seat between Draco's legs. 

"Good! Good, Miss Granger! Whenever you're ready." 

Hermione looked around, a little unsure of how to begin, but then she saw Draco give her an encouraging smile and she took a deep breath."'Mary Sue had just put on her pajamas and sat down in her favorite chair next to the fire, to read." 

"I knew she'd make this about books!" Lavender said, rolling her eyes. 

"Shut your trap Brown," Draco warned. Lavender shot him a dirty look. He motioned Hermione to continue. 

"After reading a few pages, she put the book down on the end table and went out to the kitchen for some ice cream. After taking the carton out of the freezer, she grabbed a spoon and leaned on the counter. Taking off the lid, she ate a bite. " 'God that's good! ' " she said, savoring the rocky road flavor .Taking the container with her, she went back into the livingroom and plopped herself back into her chair. Just as she was about to take another spoonful, there was a loud bang on the front door." 

Hermione looked around, everyone was quiet and hanging on her every word. She continued. "It was very late at night and Mary Sue said out loud, " 'I wonder who that could be?' " Still holding the ice cream, she made her way to the front door and checked through the peephole. She saw nothing there. " 'Who's there?' " she asked a little nervous. No answer. So she turned to go back to her book by the fire." 

"BANG!" Hermione shouted and everyone jumped. "Mary Sue turned back around and reached for the door handle. She turned it and very slowly opened the door. There on the steps was a stinking rotting corpse. As she watched, a long centipede slithered out of it's one empty eye socket. " 'Give me back my finger!' " it said in a gritty voice. Mary Sue screamed and slammed the door. She threw the ice cream and it rolled across the floor stopping on the hearth rug in front of the fire. Mary Sue ran and hid behind her favorite chair. Her eyes darted around frantically. All was quiet. She started to get up from behind the chair. 

"CRASH!" Hermione yelled. Parvati jumped and Ernie clutched his heart." The huge bay window behind the chair exploded into a million pieces. Mary Sue covered her head with her hands to avoid being cut by flying glass. She slowly turned her head. " 'Give me back my finger!' " the slimy rotting thing said as it climbed in the window. " 'I don't have your bloody damn finger!' " she screamed at it. The creature stood facing her. Maggots were squirming over it's decaying flesh, and it's clothes were hanging off it's body in tatters. The stench of it was nauseating and she felt the ice cream wanting to come back up. " 'Give me back my finger!' " it demanded." 

The camp was dead still and the only sounds were the popping of the logs in the fire and Hermione's voice. "Mary Sue whimpered, turned and ran. She tripped over the hearth rug and went sprawling across the well - polished floor. She lay there, stunned and gasping for air. The moldering corpse shuffled across the floor, crunching glass under it's bare feet. Mary Sue watched in amazement as it stumbled over to the fireplace. It bent down and reached it's blackened hand out to touch the ice cream container. She noticed that the hand had only three fingers and a thumb. " 'I've found my finger!' " it said happily and picked up the ice cream. Mary Sue watched in horror as it reached into the carton that she had so recently been eating from, and pulled out a semi-frozen finger. " 'I've found my finger!' " it said and shoved it onto it's hand. Mary Sue heard a sick squelching noise as it adhered to the dead flesh. It then looked over at her and said, " ' Thank you.' " It then slowly made it's way over to the shattered window and clumsily exited through it, disappearing into the night." 

to be continued...


	14. 14

  
Author's notes: Hermione doesn't like what Drao tells her.  


* * *

Silence. Hermione looked around at her fellow campers. Lavender was clutching Ernie's arm. Hannah had her head buried in Terry's shoulder. The rest were just staring at her in awe. Except for Draco, who was smirking, as usual.   
The Professor started to clap and most joined in. "Did you just make that up right now? Susan asked her. "Wow, I'm impressed." 

Hermione went and sat back down on the ground between Draco's legs. "That was pretty scary," Lavender said from next to her. Draco gave a sarcastic "Huh!" 

Hermione turned around and asked him, "You didn't think it was scary?" 

"Granger, I've had bed time stories read to me by my elderly Gran, that were ten times more frightening that that!" He rolled his eyes. "It was pretty gross in some places, but not the least bit scary." 

Hermione was furious. "Everyone else seems to think it was!" 

"Well maybe they scare more easily than I do. I happen to not be afraid of anything." 

"I know something your afraid of," Hermione thought, cooking up a plan for revenge. "Not afraid of anything! We'll just see about that!" 

The professor asked if anyone knew any camping songs. Mandy Brocklehurst raised her hand. "Yes? You know a song? Very good, let's hear it." 

Mandy looked around. Her faced was flush with embarrassment as she began to sing. 

"On top of Old Smokey, all covered in sand, I shot my poor teacher, with a red rubber band. I shot her with pleasure. I shot her with pride. How could I miss her, she was big, fat and wide! I went to her funeral, I went to her grave. Everyone threw flowers, but I threw grenades!" 

Everyone cracked up laughing and Mandy looked very pleased with herself. 

"Anyone else?" the Professor asked. Parvati raised her hand. "Go ahead Miss Patil." 

Parvati sang in a high clear voice, 

"I wear my pink pajamas in the summer when it's hot. I wear my flannel nightie in the winter when it's not. And sometimes in the springtime and sometimes in the fall, I slip beneath the covers with nothing on at all!" 

The guys all whistled and clapped. Parvati gave a bow and sat down. 

"I've got one!" Terry said, a huge smile plastered on his face. 

"Mr. Boot! Happy to have a gentleman volunteer!" 

Terry did not stand up, but stayed seated on his log. "Hope you like this little tune," he said, clearing his throat. 

"There was a farmer who lived by the crick and every morning he played with his... 

BANGO in the moonlight, for the lady next door.  
You could tell just by looking that she was a... 

DECENT young lady who rolled in the grass,  
and when she rolled over, you could see her bare... 

FEET. She looked like a horse and walked like a duck.  
She promised the farmer a new way to ... 

RAISE a good family, teach the girls how to knit.  
The boys are in the backyard shoveling... 

DIRT for the flowers which are doing quite well.  
If you don't like my story, you can all go to... 

SLEEP!" 

"Does anyone have a song that is NOT vulger?" the Professor asked over everyone's laughter. 

Lavender raised her hand. "Parvati and I have a good song, Professor!" 

"All right, go on then." 

They stood up, holding on to each other and sang while still laughing. 

"Cool and creamy we like it cool and creamy!  
Cool and creamy we like it cool and creamy"  
Parvati said, "Do you like it in your mouth"  
Lavender answered, "Yes I like it in my mouth"  
Parvati asked, "In your mouth"  
Lavender said, "In my mouth"  
Together they sang, "In our mouths!" 

The Professor was livid. "I said a song that wasn't vulgar!" 

"But Professor, that wasn't vulgar! Parvati said collapsing against Lavender, cackling like a madwoman. 

"Lights out in twenty minutes! I have had enough of you lot for one evening! I need a drink!" the Professor said, going into his tent. 

"That was bloody brilliant!" Ernie said to Lavender. She smiled at him and winked. "Want to take a walk?" she asked him. 

"You want to take a walk with me?" he asked in shock. 

"Yes! Now come on!" she said, taking his hand and leading him down the path to the pond. 

"Lavender! Wait a second!" Hermione shouted. "You go ahead and wait for me in the tent," she said to Draco. "I just need to ask Lavender something." 

"Don't keep me waiting to long Granger, I have needs you know!" 

"Don't worry Draco," she said, pulling him close. "It'll be worth the wait." She attacked his mouth, sucking on his tongue and pushing her breasts into his chest. When she unglued her mouth from his, he almost fell over. "I'll right back." 

Draco slowly began to walk, the feeling of Hermione sucking on his tongue still fresh in his mind. He almost walked into the fire, but turned at the last second and went into the tent. 

He took off everything but his boxers and climbed into the sleepingbag. Ten minutes later, he was getting very annoyed. "Where the hell is she?" he thought. Just as he was about to get up and go find her, she unzipped the tent flap and came in. 

"Sorry it took me so long, but you know Lavender! She loves to talk!" Hermione stripped off her clothes with Draco watching her every move. She climbed in the sleepingbag and cuddled up next to him. 

She smiled, thinking about what was going to happen in the next few minutes. 

"Why are you smiling?" he asked her. 

She looked up at him and kissed the end of his nose. "Because I'm happy!" she said. 

He pulled her on top and kissed her deeply. He ran his hands over the smooth skin on her back and then over her panties. "God I love you!" he said in her ear. 

Hermione suddenly felt a little guilty, but it was to late, the plan was already set in motion. 

As Draco slid his hands under the soft fabric of her panties, a loud voice echoed through the camp. "Draco Malfoy! You get your Mudblood loving ass out here right now!" The voice belonged to the one person Draco was afraid of, his father, Lucius. 

to be continued...


	15. 15

  
Author's notes: Hermione's revenge.  


* * *

"What the hell is he doing here?" Draco said in a terrified voice. He threw Hermione off of him and somehow managed to get out of the sleeping bag.   
"Oh my god! He's going to kill us!" Hermione said in a panic, pulling on her clothes again. 

"I'm going to count to three Draco and you and your little Mudblood whore better be out here!" 

"Coming Father!" Draco yelled. He was paler than usual and his hands were shaking. "I'll go out, you better stay here. I don't want anything to happen to you!" 

"ONE!" Lucius said loudly. 

"You must be kidding, Malfoy! I'm not going to let you face him alone. I'm coming with you!" Hermione said. 

"TWO!" Boomed the angry voice. "Get out here now, boy!" 

"My god, how did find us here? How did he get out of Azkaban?" Draco asked. The fear in his eyes was absolute. 

"I don't know, Draco. But if he's going to kill us both, we should just go out and meet him face to face and die standing tall, not like whimpering cowards!" Hermione went over to the entrance and grabbed the zipper. 

"NO! Don't open that!" Draco screamed. 

"Why not? I'm not afraid of that asshole!" 

"Well I am! And I don't think today is a good day to die!" 

Hermione pulled the zipper just as the Lucius' voice shouted "THREE!" Draco lunged for her and there was a blinding white light. He fell to the ground in the fetal position and started crying. 

"Mummy help me!" he said over and over. Suddenly he heard the unmistakable sound of laughter. He put his head up cautiously and was greeted by the sight of Parvati, Lavender, Justin and Ernie. They were huddled in the doorway, flashlights bobbing with their laughter. 

He slowly got to his feet. His legs felt like jelly and he could barely stand. His sweaty hair was hanging in his face and he blew at it as he glared at them. "What the bloody fucking hell is going on?" he asked. 

The laughter stopped. Justin was shifting his feet nervously. Ernie grabbed Lavender's hand and squeezed it tightly. Parvati twirled a piece of her long hair around her finger, looking at the ground. 

"Where is my father?" Draco asked them angrily. 

Hermione stepped forward. "It was just a joke! Your father isn't here." 

"Just a joke? JUST A JOKE!" he shouted at her. Hermione cringed in fear. "For what? Because I said your stupid little story wasn't scary?" 

"I...I was just upset and..." 

"And so you devised an ingenious plan to scare me? Make me quiver in fear and cry like some stupid coward?" 

"I'm sorry..." 

He glared at her for a second and then turned his gaze to the four cowering people in the doorway. "You have no idea what my bastard of a father has done to me over the years. If you did, I'm sure you wouldn't have gone along with this little practical joke.You're lucky, I'm in a forgiving mood right now, so I won't hold this against you." 

Hermione looked at him like he was crazy. She expected him to completely flip out. The others were just as equally confused about his laid back attitude. They had just embarrassed him and made him cry, but he was not ripping their limbs off or kicking their skulls in. 

"Thank you Malfoy!" Justin said. "I really had no idea what they were up to, I just came along." 

"I'm sure," Draco said. "Now tell me, how is it that I distinctly heard my father's voice?" 

Hermione spoke up. "Well, you see, I asked Lavender if she had perchance brought along her voice changer..." 

Draco interrupted. "Voice changer? What the hell is that?" 

Lavender reached into her pocket and brought out something small. She put in Draco's out stretched hand. He held it between two fingers and examined it in the beam from Parvati's flashlight. 

It was round, flat, clear and about the size of a carrot coin. "How does this work, Brown?" he asked. 

Lavender took it back from him and said, "You take it and stick it to the roof of your mouth, like this," she demonstrated. "Then you think about the person you want to talk like. You have to hear their voice in your head." She closed her eyes. "MR. Malfoy! If I ever catch you snogging another girl in the hallway, I will give you a weeks worth of detentions!" said Professor McGonagalls voice. 

Draco was impressed. "Where did you get this?" he asked her. 

"At Weasley's Wizard Wheezes," she said, popping the voice changer out of her mouth. 

"How did you get this past Filch? He searched us," Draco asked. 

"I have a secret hiding place!" she said and put the voice changer into her bra. I hide lots of thing in here!" She pulled out a change purse, a lipstick and two pieces of Droobles Best Blowing Gum. 

"Too much information!" Justin said, shaking his head. 

Draco smiled. "This has been quite an eventful evening. Now if you lot would kindly get the hell out of my tent, I would like to speak with my evil genius of a girlfriend." 

As they all left the tent, the Professor suddenly came stumbling out of his, carrying a bottle of Firewhiskey. "Would all you of please shut the hell up?" He took a swig of the whiskey and stumbled back inside. 

Draco chuckled as he zipped the flap back up. Then, he turned to face Hermione. 

She was standing in the middle of the tent looking extremely frightened. "My, my, my," he said, walking around her. "Aren't you the devious one?" He stopped in front of her and looked down into her huge brown eyes. She looked like a calf being led to the slaughter. 

"I said I was sorry. What more do you want?" she asked. 

"This!" he said, grabbing the back of her head and smashing his mouth down on hers. He let go of her lips. Her chest was heaving and she looked like a frightened rabbit. "I have never been so turned on in my entire life," He said with a smirk. 

Hermione stared into the depths of his stormy grey eyes. The lust she saw there was very alarming. "I..." 

"Shhh. No talking," he whispered, putting his finger on her lips. He lifted her shirt over her head, never taking his eyes off hers. He leaned in and kissed her neck. She closed her eyes, loving the feeling of his tender lips. He lowered her onto the ground, pulling off her shorts and panties. 

He stroked the soft skin of her inner thighs. She moaned as he kissed and licked his way down her body. She jumped when his tongue came in contact with her pussy. It glided slowly in between her wet folds and then he sucked hard on her clit, making her cry out in pain mingled with ecstasy. 

She grabbed at his hair and tangled it in her fingers. "OH MY GOD!" she screamed as an intense orgasm racked her whole body. She tried to pry his mouth off of her cunt but he only sucked harder. "Stop!" she pleaded as her hips came off the ground. 

He finally let go, only to replace his tongue with the tip of his rock hard cock. He rubbed it on her cunt, making her moan. "You made me cry, Granger. Now It's your turn. I'm going to tease the hell out of you until you're begging and crying for me to fuck you." 

to be continued...


	16. 16

  
Author's notes: Time to get drunk and play some games!  


* * *

"Hey. Malfoy!" someone whispered.   
"Did you just hear something?" Draco asked. Hermione shook her head. It was 2a.m. and they had only been asleep for a little while. 

"Malfoy." 

"There! I heard it again." he said, getting out of the sleepingbag and putting his boxers back on. He tripped over Hermione's shoe. "OW! Damn!" he said, hopping on one foot. He went over to the flap and unzipped it. Pulling it back he said, "Who the hell is it and what the bloody f..." 

Standing there holding a bottle of Firewhiskey and smiling was Terry Boot. "Party in my tent. Want to come?" 

Draco looked over his shoulder at Hermione, who was putting on her clothes. "You think we should go?" 

Hermione came over to the boys. "Where did you get that?" she asked Terry, pointing to the bottle. 

"Nicked it from the Professor. He's totally shit faced. Came out of his tent starkers and pissed into his fire. I put him to bed and he passed out, so I borrowed his booze." Terry was obviously proud of delinquent behavior. 

"I'm all for it! Let's go!" Draco said to Hermione. 

"I don't think we should do this. We're Head boy and Girl, we should set a good example." Hermione wrung her hands, clearly agitated. 

"Come on Granger! Live a little! We only have a few weeks of school left," Draco said. "Be bad for once in your life!" He gave her a mischievious grin. "I dare you." 

"If you think that just because you dare me to do something, that I'll do it... well your right. Let's go" she said, pushing Draco out of the tent. 

They ran across the camp to Terry and Hannah's tent. Everyone else was already there. " About time! Hand me that bottle," Lavender said. Terry gave her the bottle, she took the lid off and drank a sip. "Ah that's some good shit!" she said, passing the bottle to Parvati. 

Draco and Hermione sat down and the bottle was soon passed to them. He wiped off the top and then took a huge drink. Hermione sipped it and passed it to Justin. Soon everyone was tipsy and giggling. 

"Let's play a game shall we?" Draco said. 

"What kind of game?" Hermione asked, thinking that any game Malfoy came up with had to be fun... in a bad sort of way. 

"It's called Two Lies and a Truth," he said with a smirk. "We take turns saying two statements that are lies and one that's the truth. You have to guess which one is the truth. "I'll go first." He smiled and looked around at everyone. "I once had a raunchy sex dream about Madam Pince." 

"That is just friggin disgusting!" Justin said, making gagging noises. 

Draco continued, "I like to wear woman's underwear, especially black thongs." 

Parvati lost it and went into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. "Sorry!" she said, wiping her eyes. "That was... just the image of it...!" 

"I stole the Sorting hat once and danced around the Slytherin common room naked with it on my head," Draco said. "Now which one is true?" 

Terry took another drink and said, "I think you had a sex dream about that gross librarian." He shuddered just thinking about it. 

"I agree," Ernie said. "The other two are not probable." 

"Well, I think you wear ladies underwear!" Lavender said and then took a drink. Susan, Mandy and Justin all agreed with her. 

"What about you Hermione?" Terry asked. They all looked at her. Draco was leaning back on his elbows, smiling at her. "Um... I guess I'd have to say that the dream thing is true." 

"All of you are wrong! It was the Sorting Hat dance that was true!" 

"You're lying!" Hermione accused him. "There is no way that you got into Dumbledore's office and took the Sorting Hat!" 

"I never said I took it from Dumbledore's office. That old coot kept that office well secure. I took it this year. Filtch was cleaning the entrance to the office. Crabbe and Goyle made a diversion, set off dung bombs on the floor below. Filtch took off and left the entrance open. I went up the stairs and snatched the hat. I was back in the common room before he returned." 

Draco took another swig and handed the bottle to Hermione. "You should of heard the damn hat yelling at me to put it back in it's right place!" 

"What did it say when you were dancing around with it on your head?" Mandy asked. 

"At first it cursed me out, but when I started singing the school song, it joined in!" Everyone thought this was hilarious. 

"Okay, who's next?" Draco asked. 

Lavender, who was completely drunk by now, raised her hand. "Whoo hooo. I'll go next!" As she spoke, she gesticulated her hands wildly and almost fell over. "The first one... let's see... oh I know, this one time Padma and I made out in the shower." 

"Now that's hot!" Draco said and received a punch in the arm from Hermione. 

"Okay and then this other time, I gave my cousin a love potion and made him fall in love with his pet monkey!" 

"Sweet hot monkey love!" Draco said and this time he caught Hermione's fist and kissed it. "Not this time, you brute." 

"And the last one," Lavender said, raising her eyebrows, "is that for years, I had a crush on Professor Snape!" 

"I think I'm going to vomit!" Terry said, puffing out his cheeks and putting his finger to his lips. 

"I HOPE that the last one isn't true. I'll say that you made your cousin fall for the monkey," Hermione said. 

"I, for one, hope that the first one IS true. That would be so damn sexy," Justin said with a far off look. Ernie agreed hole-heartedly. 

"I think Hermione's right. It's the monkey love thing." Parvati said. 

"Me too. It's the monkey thing," Susan said taking a drink. "How about you Hannah? Terry?" Susan asked looking around. 

"I do believe that they are currently engaged in some hot monkey sex of their own," Draco said, looking over at the undulating couple in the sleepingbag. Hermione giggled and then hiccuped really loudly. 

"I think they have the right idea," Lavender said, attacking Ernie. 

"Shall we take this party else where?" Susan asked blushing. 

"Hell no! I think we should have a big orgy! Granger, you lie down here. Then Patil, you come over here and sit on my face..." 

"Draco!" Hermione yelled. 

"What?" he said innocently. "Don't want to share me?" 

"Let's go," she said pulling by the arm out of the tent. Susan and Mandy walked back to their tent, holding on to each other drunkenly. Parvati and Justin decided to take a canoe ride on the pond. "Don't forget about Seamus!" Hermione yelled after her. 

Draco, who was still holding the almost empty bottle asked, "Why'd you have to ruin her fun by reminding her of that Irish weirdo she's going out with?" 

"People do things when they're smashed that they wouldn't normally do." 

"All right then, are you saying that you would have participated in the orgy if you weren't drunk?" 

"What?" 

"You said that people do things when their drunk that they wouldn't do sober. You're drunk, and you wouldn't take part in the fun I had planned. So does that mean that when you're not drunk, you'll have no problem sharing me with a group of horny people?" He drained the bottle. 

"I plan on never sharing you with any one, no matter what!" 

"Aw! That's so sweet!" he said and kissed her cheek. 

"Where the bloody hell is my whiskey?" the Professor shouted, stumbling out of his tent and falling face first into the ground. He let out a huge snore. 

"We should at least cover him up," Hermione said with a laugh. They went into his tent and found a blanket. She put it on top of him and Draco laid the now empty whiskey bottle, in the crook of the Professor's arm. 

"Shall we sing him a lullaby too?" Draco asked her. 

"Don't be such a smartass!" 

They went back to their tent to TRY and get some sleep. 

to be continued...


	17. 17

  
Author's notes: The Professor thinks archery sounds like a great idea!  


* * *

"Everybody up!" the Professor yelled across the sleeping camp ground. 

"What the hell time is it?" Draco asked, stretching his arms over his head and yawning humungusly. 

"I have no idea," Hermione said, sitting up and holding her head. "I feel like death," she said. "How about you?" 

"Nope, I feel great!" He said, hopping up and doing some jumping jacks. 

"I've never seen anyone do naked jumping jacks before. It's ... interesting, to say the least." 

The Professor came up to their tent and yelled inside, "Get your happy asses dressed and get out here!" 

"Coming Professor!" Hermione said smiling. 

"Can you believe how drunk he was last night? We should use that for blackmail in the future!" Draco said, helping Hermione up. "We could make him do lots of things." 

"Like what?" 

"I don't know. Tell him he has to go into the Great Hall at dinner, get up on the staff table and do a striptease, then wank off in front of everyone while singing ' A Cauldron Full of Hot, Strong Love' " 

"You come up with the strangest things Malfoy. How DO you do it?" 

"I have a talent, what can I say?" 

Hermione went over to her bag and searched for something to wear. After much consideration, she chose some khaki shorts and a camouflage tank top that said 'Drop and Give Me 20'. 

"Give you twenty what?" Draco asked confused. "Licks to your pussy?" 

"Malfoy!" 

"What? I'm only trying to figure out what your shirt means!" 

"Why is your mind constantly in the gutter?" 

"I don't know," he said, shrugging his shoulders. 

"Are you just going to stand there naked as the day you were born, or are you going to get dressed?" she asked him. 

"You pick out my clothes for me, Granger." 

"Here, wear this," she said tossing him some dark blue basketball shorts and a white sleeveless T-shirt. "Oh and definitely wear this!" She held up a red baseball hat that said 'Nike' across the front in white letters. 

She threw it and he caught it. "Why do you want me to wear this?" he asked, slicking back his bangs and putting it on. 

Hermione had a huge grin on her face. "Why are you smiling at me like that?" he asked her. " You look like a jackass chomping on grass!" 

She almost couldn't answer. "Y... you look so amazing with nothing on but that hat! If we had time, I'd jump you right now!" 

He walked up to her, turned the hat backwards and... 

"Mr. Malfoy, there is no time for hanky panky right now, get dressed and get out here right now!" the Professor said through the tent. 

"We'll continue this later, Granger. I promise," he said with a smirk and a raised eyebrow. He leaned in licked her on the lips. 

She pushed him away and smacked him hard on the bare ass. "Get dressed you sexy beast of a man!" 

"Why Granger, I didn't know you were in to spanking!" 

"There's plenty you don't know about me!" she said, giving him a seductive look as she left the tent. 

Draco was the last to show up. "It's about time Mr. Malfoy. This isn't a fashion show, you really didn't need to spend ten minutes beautifying yourself." 

Draco smiled in a devious way. "I can't speak for anyone else, sir, but after last night, I'd say YOU need some beautifying. You're looking pretty ruff. And, I think you have scarred us for life with your intoxicated display of fire pissing and..." 

"Yes, well I'd like to apologize for that." 

"You can apologize by feeding us!" Terry said. 

Everyone shouted in agreement. 

"Fine! Breakfast it is!" The professor waved his wand and a huge buffet appeared. 

"Excellent!" Justin said, shoving a strawberry in his mouth. 

"Nice hat, Malfoy," Ernie said to Draco. 

"Thanks MacMillin. Nice freakin sweater vest!" Draco said, smirking over the top of his coffee cup. 

"What's wrong with it?" Ernie asked, looking down. 

"What's wrong with it? Are you serious?" Draco said, shaking his head. "We are on a camping trip and you are dressed like you're going to a board meeting!" 

"I thought I looked quite distinguished!" Ernie said, smoothing the wrinkles out of his dress pants. 

"I'm all for looking your best MacMillin, but there is a time and place for every outfit and this is not the occasion to wear business attire!" 

"But I didn't bring anything else but these kind of clothes!" 

"Come to my tent later and I'll lend you some appropriate attire." 

"Thanks Malfoy!" Ernie said, biting into a pastry. 

"No problem. Always like to help the fashion challenged of this world." 

After Ernie walked away to join Lavender, Hermione said to Draco in a curious voice, "Why are you being so nice to everyone? You're frightening me!" 

"I don't know, Granger. Maybe because they're being nice to me?" He poured himself another cup of coffee. "I hate to admit this, but these morons are starting to grow on me." 

When everyone ate their fill, the Professor called then all over. "Follow me!" he said and walked through the trees. They came up on the edge of a field. There were five stumps lined up. 

"What the hell are those?" Draco asked and pointed across the field. 

"They're targets!" Hannah said. 

"Targets? For what?" 

"Archery!" the Professor said happily. 

"Archery? Great!" Terry said in a sarcastic way. 

The Professor walked over to the closest stump and picked up a bow. "Archery is a sport that takes concentration, aim and upper body strength." He placed an arrow on the bow, aimed and let go. It hit the bullseye. 

Everyone was impressed. "Each group will get ten minutes of practice and then we'll have a little competition. Pick a spot and get going!" he said, laying the bow down. 

Draco and Hermione chose the last stump. Ernie and Justin were at the one beside them. "You want to go first?" Draco asked her. "Not really," she answered. 

"I guess I'll go then." He picked up the bow, put the arrow in it's place, and aimed. "What the fuck?!" he yelled as a stray arrow from Justin hit him in the ass. Draco released his arrow and it sailed towards the target, where it hit dead center. 

Justin watched in absolute fear as Draco dropped his bow and stalked over to him. "You shot me in the ass!" he yelled, picking Justin up off the ground by the front of his shirt. 

Justin tried to keep a straight face but broke down laughing instead. Draco's first instinct was to pummel the poor bastard, but he took a deep breath and laughed with Justin instead. "That WAS pretty funny wasn't it?" he said, placing Justin's feet back on the ground. 

Draco slapped Justin on the back rather hard and he said in his ear rather harshly, "Don't you EVER do that again, understand?" 

Justin looked up at Draco's dead serious face. "Yes Malfoy, of course!" 

Draco shot him one more revolting look and then went back to Hermione. 

"Everything all right?" she asked him. 

"Just friggin peachy!" he said, rubbing his ass. 

Hermione picked up the bow. "I can barely pull this back! How am I supposed to shoot this?" 

"Just shoot the damn thing, Granger! We only have a few minutes to practice!" 

She released her arrow and it hit the bullseye on Parvati and Lavender's target. Draco chuckled. "God that was just awful!" 

Hermione was embarrassed and angry. "Shut up Malfoy! You only hit the target by accident!" 

"So? At least I hit our target!" 

"Fine! Let's go again! I'll prove to you that I'm better at this than you!" 

Draco jumped at the challenge ." You're on!" 

Hermione walked up, put her arrow in the bow, took a deep breath, aimed and fired. It hit the middle of their target dead on. She turned to Draco, gave him a snooty look and said, "Beat that!" 

Everyone stopped what they were doing, including the Professor, to watch. 

Draco sauntered up to the stump, took up the bow, planted his feet, and took aim. 

Hermione quietly walked up behind Draco slid her hand around his waist and grabbed his dick. 

"What the HELL!" he said, startled. He let go and the arrow flew into the trees. 

He threw the bow on the ground for a second time and turned, red faced towards Hermione. "You cheated!" 

"It's not my fault you can't concentrate on the task at hand!" 

They argued for five minutes straight. Needless to say, they lost the competition due to lack of practice. 

to be continued...


	18. 18

  
Author's notes: FOOD FIGHT!!!  


* * *

"It's all your fault we lost, Granger!"   
"How's it my fault?" 

"We didn't get enough time to practice." 

"I repeat, how is that MY fault?" 

"You're the one who came up and decided to give me a hand job at a most inopertune time!" Draco took his hat off, wiped the sweat off his forehead, and put it back on. "You just can't come up to me and grope me when ever you feel like it!" 

"Fine! I'll never touch you again!" she said, stomping away. 

Draco grabbed her arm and spun her around. "Like you could ever keep your hands off me! I'm like a drug, once I'm in your system, you'll crave me night and day." 

"Really smart to compare yourself to crack!" 

Draco looked at her strangely. "What the bloody hell is crack?" 

"Oh never mind. Your ignorance astounds me sometimes!" 

Terry shook his head and said to Ernie, "They are just sooo cute together, aren't they?" 

"Their fighting does make for good entertainment!" Ernie said. 

"They fight and then they hook up, they fight and then they hook up. That's their pattern. The makeup sex they have must be totally wild!" Terry said, looking enviously at Draco. 

"Gather round class!" the Professor said. He waved his wand and vanished the targets, bows and arrows. "Split up into two teams please." 

Nobody moved. 

"Fine I'll do it!" the Professor said, clearly agitated. "How old are you lot anyway? Two? Team one will consist of Mr. Malfoy, Miss Bones, Miss Patil, Miss Brown and Mr. Boot." 

They queued up halfheartedly. "The rest of you are team two," the Professor said. "Come on then, line up!" He walked to the front of the teams. "The first game will be... Group Knot!" 

"That doesn't sound to good," Ernie said to Hermione. Hermione agreed. 

"Each team form a circle facing out." He waved his wand and ropes appeared, tangling and knotting themselves around the team members. "You must cooperate with each other to get loose. First team to untangle them selves wins." 

"Wins what exactly?" Lavender asked. 

"There is no prize Miss Brown." 

"Then what is the purpose of this?" Draco asked, rolling his eyes. 

"Team work, Mr. Malfoy!" he said and blew his whistle. 

"All right, let's just think for a moment," Hermione said, and her team calmly started to untangle themseleves. 

"Get the hell off my foot, you fat cow!" Draco said to Lavender. 

"I can't help it! I've tangled my foot up and I can't move it!" 

"Parvati, I told you to go under the rope, not over it!" Terry yelled at her. "Stupid!" 

"Stop calling me names, dick breath!" Parvati said. 

"OW! Susan said, tripping over the rope and sending herself and Draco falling to the ground. 

"This is fucking ridiculous!" Draco said getting up. "Everybody stop!" He looked around at his sweaty red faced team mates in disgust. He closed his eyes and pictured the tangles and knots in his mind. He took a deep breath and opened his eyes. "This is what we do..." 

"Come on Hermione! They're catching up!" Justin said anxiously. 

Hermione looked over and was amazed at how far along Draco's team was. "How is he doing that?" she asked outloud. 

"Stop standing there and help us!" Ernie said to her. 

She looked at Draco. He was giving instructions and the others were following them without debate. He was completely in charge. She couldn't help but feel proud of him. 

"Hermione! Come on!" Hannah said, pulling on her arm. 

"What? Oh right!" she said and continued undoing the knot around her ankle, a smile on her face. 

"Okay, Bones, under here. Good now untie that knot around your waist..." Susan dropped the end of the rope and Draco's team shouted and jumped in triumph. 

"Good job!" the Professor said, shaking their hands. He turned to the other team. "Excellent try! It was so close!" he said, waving his wand and making the ropes disappear. 

Draco looked over at Hermione, raised his eyebrows and smirked at her. She bowed to him. "You are the King," she mouthed to him. He gave her a huge insolent smile. 

"Next game is a race," the Professor said, getting everyone's attention. "Same teams. Line up!" 

Everyone queued up. This time, they were excited. "It's called Bobsledding Bodies." The Professor paced back and forth, his hands behind his back. "You all have to sit down on the ground, in a line. Now put your legs in a straddle and slid forward so that you are right up against the back of the person in front of you. Now using only your legs and your bums, you have to get from here to the flag at the end of the field." 

"I don't know about you, but I'm rather enjoying this game!" Lavender said in Parvati's ear. They both looked back at Draco, who was up against Lavender, and giggled. 

Draco smirked and shoved himself into Lavender. "Oh yes, Your ass is damn tight!" he made sexual sounds and everyone laughed. Lavender smacked him, still giggling. 

Hermione shot Draco a death look and he gave it right back. 

"Mr. Malfoy! Enough!" the Professor said irately. "On three. One. Two. Three!" 

They started bouncing and sliding on their behinds. Everyone was laughing. 

"God, the flag seems so far away!" Terry said from behind Susan. 

Hermione's team were better coordinated and quickly moved ahead. "We're going to win!" shouted Justin. 

"This game is so damn stupid!" Draco said. "First I get shot in the ass and now I have to run a race on it!" 

"Would you just shut up? Stop complaining about your poor wounded ass and get moving!" Terry said. 

Hermione looked back at Draco's team, they weren't even close. "Come on team! Just a little further!" she said, and they reached the flag. 

It was their turn to be sore winners. "Ha ha! We beat you!" Mandy said loudly to the other team, who didn't even bother to finish. 

"Yay for you Brocklehurst! Do you want a medal or a chest to pin it on?" Draco said viciously. Mandy's face turned beet red and she looked like she was going to cry. 

"That was completely uncalled for Mr. Malfoy! Now you apologize to her right this minute!" the Professor said. 

Draco stepped up to her. "I'm sincerely sorry for insinuating that you have no tits. Why don't you lift up your shirt and prove me wrong?" 

Mandy slapped Draco across the face. "How dare you!" 

"Apologize the correct way, Mr. Malfoy!" the Professor said angrily. 

Draco rubbed his cheek and sneered at her. 

"Just tell her you're sorry Malfoy!" Hermione said. She was totally horrified by Draco's comments. 

Draco turned his head in Hermione's direction. He saw the pleading look in her eyes. "Fine! I'm sorry! Whatever!" 

Everyone stood around in uneasy silence. "Well, now that that unpleasantness is over, we can continue with the games." The Professor motioned for them to follow. 

"I really AM sorry, Brocklehurst," Draco said to her, so that only she could hear. 

"I know, it must be hard to try and be civil after years of being an asshole," she said to him and smiled. He smiled back and ran to catch up with Hermione. 

"Hey baby!" he said to her. 

"I can't believe the way you're acting today! It's like you've turned back into the smartass jerk you were before!" 

"Hermione, I'll always be that smartass jerk, that'll never change. If you're trying to turn me into some weirdo who goes around saying nice things and doing good deeds, then you're delusional!" 

"I seriously don't know if I can put up with your childish behavior for the rest of my life," she said to him. "I'm not sure that this is going to work. I think we should just forget about this whole relationship thing." 

He stopped walking and grabbed her hand, pulling her to him. "Don't do this to me Hermione. You are the best thing that's ever happened to me!" He embraced her. 

Hermione felt the tears begin to fall down her cheeks. "I don't want this to end, I really don't! But..." 

He tilted her head up and looked into wet eyes. "I refuse to let it end. I have loved you for to long to give it all up so easily." He rubbed his nose on hers and then kissed her gently. "Give me another chance. Give US another chance." 

She smiled at him through her tears. "You really do love me, don't you? I'm not dreaming?" 

"You're not dreaming, Hermione." He said softly and kissed her passionately. 

"For the love of Merlin! Would you two please stop fornicating all over camp!" the Professor yelled. "We are all waiting for you!" 

Draco gave her one last kiss and they followed their teacher. "I hope you lot are hungry!" They heard him say as they joined their classmates at a long wooden table. 

On the table were ten covered dishes. There were five on each side, one for each of them. "Please step up to a dish and take the lid off!" The Professor had a sneaky sly smile on his face. 

"OH GROSS!" Parvati said, looking at her plate. 

"What IS this?" Hannah asked, turning green. 

"This my dear girl, is your next game!" 

Hermione looked down at her plate. It contained live maggots that were wiggling in what she guessed was rotten fish. She crinkled up her nose and glanced over at Draco's plate. His plate was even worse. There was a plethora of dead bugs. A huge tarantula, a giant cockroach, a centipede and some crickets. Draco met her eyes and licked his lips. "Yum!Yum!" he said jokingly. 

"The person who can eat their entire plate first will get will get a prize!" 

"No prize is worth this!" Terry said looking down at his plate full of lemonJell-O with cow eyes floating in it. 

"The reward will be 50 galleons!" 

They all perked up at the mention of money. The girls all tied their hair back and everyone stood ready. "Ready. Set. Go!" the Professor said. 

Hannah took one bite of her rotten eggsalad sandwich on moldy bread and spit it out. "I quit!" she said and sat down, rubbing her tongue on her shirt. 

Terry bit into an eyeball and some kind of goo squirted out and hit Lavender in the face. "That is so disgusting!" she said and threw a chicken foot at Terry. 

He picked up an eye and pegged it at her head. "You can't do that!" she said and grabbed piece of tofu from Parvati's plate. She threw it but missed Terry and hit Ernie on the side of the face. 

"Hey!" he said. Just then a handful of pig intestine hit him in the chest. "Look what you've done! You've ruined my favorite sweatervest!" He tossed a dead eel and it landed on Mandy's head. 

"FOOD FIGHT!" Draco yelled and suddenly the air was filled with flying animal parts and dead bugs. 

The Professor stood there, shaking his head. "What a bunch of idiots!" he said just as a glob of grubb- filled mashed potatoes hit him in the face. 

to be continued...


	19. 19

  
Author's notes: Ron's blind date.  


* * *

MEANWHILE... BACK AT HOGWARTS:   
"Come on Ron!" Ginny said, grabbing his arm and dragging him across the common room. "She said she'd meet you there at 11'o clock." 

"I have to look presentable, don't I?" He asked, sniffing his armpits. 

"There is not enough time in the day to make you look presentable!" Ginny said. "So just forget about it and let's go!" 

Harry was waiting at the portrait hole. "Ready?" 

"Who is she?" Ron asked Harry for the thousandth time. 

Ginny pushed him through the entrance. "If you ask that question more time, I'm going to shove my wand up your ass sideways!" 

"Nice mouth Gin! You kiss my best mate with that potty mouth?" 

"Yes I do! And I've never heard him complain!" She gave Harry a warm smile. 

It was a beautiful spring day and Ginny was so excited that she wanted to skip all the way to Hogsmead. The birds were singing and the sun was shining. All was good. 

Harry thought about how wonderful life was now. No Voldemort, no Death Eaters and no more Horcruxes to destroy. He could finally enjoy life. He looked over at a smiling Ginny and took her hand. 

Ron was trying not to vomit. "I can't believe I'm doing this! What was I thinking?" His mind was going a mile a minute. He tried to concentrate on his breathing and before he knew it, they were standing in front of Madam Puddifoots Tea Shop. 

"There is no way I'm going in there! Harry told me what a girly place it is, and I don't want anything to do with it!" 

Ginny rolled her eyes. "Would you just shut up!" 

"I'm going to go in and see if she's there." Harry opened the door and the little bell jingled. "I'll be right back." 

Ginny turned to Ron who was a slight shade of green and swaying dangerously on his feet. 

"Ron?" Ginny asked concerned. "Are you all right?" 

"This girl, she doesn't really fancy me does she? She's just doing this as a favor to you and Harry, right?" 

"She does to fancy you. What's not to like?" Ginny put her hand on his shoulder. "You're tall, handsome and brave. You helped to defeat Voldemort for Merlin's sake! She suddenly grabbed him by both shoulders and shook him. "Now get a grip on yourself! Women like confident men!" 

Harry came out of the shop. "Well mate, she's in there waiting for you." He pushed Ron towards the door. "She's at the table in the very back of the shop." 

"Good luck!" Ginny said. 

Ron gulped, took a deep breath and opened the door. As it closed behind him, he blinked in awe. 

The shop was decorated for spring. The walls were a bright sunny yellow and frilly flowered curtains hung from the windows. Each table was adorned with a light green table cloth and a vase full of pink roses. Large purple bows hung from the backs of every chair and every few seconds the air was sprinkled with flower petals. It was hideous. 

"May I help you, dear?" A very stout woman came over balancing a tray on one hand. 

"I... I'm supposed to meet someone here." Ron casually glanced around and spotted a lone girl sitting at a table in the very back. Her back was facing him and his first thought was "She has beautiful hair." 

"Are you Mr. Wesley?" Madam Puddifoot asked. 

"Weasley." Ron said. 

"Yes, sorry. Mr. Weasley. If you'll follow me, I'll show you to your table. Mr. Potter explained everything to me. How you and the young lady are enemies. And that for years, she has secretly had feelings for you. It's just so romantic!" 

Ron stopped in his tracks. "Did you say enemies?" 

"Why yes dear. Mr. Potter said that the young lady and yourself have never gotten along, that you..." 

Ron walked away from her and stepped up to the table, where his mystery date sat drumming her polished pink nails on the green table cloth. 

"Parkinson," he said in disgust. 

Pansy slowly turned in her seat and gave him a big smile. "Weasley," she said smoothly. 

Ron stood there, staring at a girl who had been his nemesis for seven years. "This can't be happening!" he said slowly. 

"Are you going to stand there all day or are you going to sit down?" she asked him 

"I would rather eat my own organs than sit down and have tea with the likes of you!" he said viciously. 

"Yes. Well I see this isn't going to be easy." Pansy sighed. "Harry and Ginny..." 

"Why are they suddenly talking to you anyway? When did you three become all buddy buddy?" he asked , still standing. 

"As you probably have realized, I am an outcast in Slytherin now. After my parents were both killed for refusing to join The Dark Lord, I came to a decision." 

"Yeah? And what decision was that?" Ron asked. 

"To change." 

"To change what? Your hairdo? Your underwear? Surely not change your evil, miscreant ways!" 

"I had no idea you had such a large vocabulary, Weasley!" she said smirking. "And yes, to change my ways. I'm sick of being thought of as an immoral, haughty, racist bitch." 

"Good luck with that!" Ron said under his breath. "What's this got to do with Ginny and Harry?" 

"I went to Ginny on the first day of school and apologized to her for making her life hell. It took some persuading, but she finally believed me." 

"I bet Harry wasn't so easy to persuade!" Ron said, shifting his feet. 

"No, he wasn't. But slowly, Ginny made him realize that I was sincere. We had some long talks and he finally forgave me." 

Ron could not stand any longer. He pulled the other chair out from the table, turned it around and sat in it backwards. 

"Can I get you dears anything?" Madam Puddifoot asked in a sweet voice. 

"Yes, a triple shot of firewhiskey!" Ron said. 

Madam Puddifoot looked scandalized. 

"Well have two coffee's please and a plate of biscuits," Pansy said politely. After the plump shop owner waddled away, Pansy turned to Ron again. "I plan on begging Hermione to forgive me, just as soon as she comes back from her little trip to the wilderness." 

"Can I watch? I mean, that'll be a sight to behold that will!" Ron chuckled. "She hates you even more than she hates Malfoy!" 

"Yes, I'm sure she does," Pansy said with a strange smile. 

Madam Puddifoot brought over their coffee and biscuits and put them on the table. "Anything else I can get for you?" 

"No mam, I think were fine," Pansy said. 

Ron turned his chair around the right way and snatched up a biscuit. "So, on these long talks that you had with my sister and Harry... did my name ever came up?" he asked nonchalantly. 

Pansy gave him a knowing smile. "Yes. Quite a few times," she said, taking a sip of her coffee. Putting the cup down, she asked, "So, will you forgive me for helping Draco to make your life miserable?" 

Ron shoved another biscuit into his mouth, chewed and swallowed. "I don't know. Should I?" 

Pansy leaned forward over the table. Ron asked himself why he had neglected all these years to notice that Pansy had the most beautiful eyes. "I definitely think you should," she said, batting her eyelashes as a shower of flower petals rained down on them. 

Two hours later, Harry and Ginny were sitting on a bench across the street from the tea shop. 

"Oh look!" Ginny said pointing to the shop. Ron came out and held the door for Pansy. "That's so cute!" 

They walked over to Harry and Ginny. "That was some trick you played on me!" Ron said taking a seat on the bench. "You were right not to tell me who it was that I was meeting, I never would have come." 

"Are you glad you did?" Ginny asked. 

Ron pulled Pansy into his lap. "Definitely!" 

Ginny hugged Harry. "It worked!" she said. 

Harry kissed her cheek. "Now we just have to find someone for Hermione!" 

Ginny and Pansy gave each other a look. Little did they know that they had the same man in mind for Hermione. "I believe that I have the perfect guy for our Hermione!" Ginny said. 

"Oh you do, do you?" Harry asked. "And pray tell who is this wonderful man?" 

"Malfoy," Ginny said and cringed, waiting for the boys to explode. 

Harry stood up fast. "W... what?" he sputtered. "You're not serious! Hermione and Malfoy! Never!" 

Ginny stood up and put her hands on her hips in a defiant way. "Yes, Hermione and Malfoy! Clearly you and Ron are blind, but I'm not! I've noticed them looking at each other fondly for quite some time!" 

"Fondly? They hate each other!" Ron said. 

Pansy spoke up. "Well actually Ron, I happen to know for a fact that Draco likes Hermione." 

Ginny smiled at Harry. "See! I told you!" 

"How do YOU know?" Harry asked Pansy. 

"Because he told me so himself!" 

"What? Draco Malfoy told you that he likes Hermione?" Harry was in complete shock. 

"It was after the Yule Ball during fourth year. We pilfered a couple bottles of mead from one of the Professors and proceeded to get drunk." Pansy laughed as she remembered almost getting caught by Snape. 

"Well, it was no secret that I wanted to be Draco's girlfriend. I had been trying to get him to like me for years. Nothing ever worked." 

"So you decided to get him drunk and make him yours?" Harry asked with a grin. 

Pansy raised her eyebrows. "That was the plan. We went to the my room and drank until we were both smashed. I tried everything I knew to get him to kiss me! Nothing worked. Finally, I just asked him outright if was a homosexual." 

"No you didn't!" Ron said laughing. 

"Yes I did! And do you know what he said? He said he might as well be gay because the girl he was in love with hated his guts." Pansy let the last sentence hover in the air. 

"Do you mean that as far back as fourth year, Malfoy has liked Hermione?" Ginny asked. 

Pansy smirked. "Not just liked, the boy has LOVED her!" 

"I don't believe a word you're saying! It's just ludicrous!" Harry was totally angry. "Did he actually come out and say that it was Hermione that he loved?" 

"Yes he did, Harry! He admitted who it was it was and then told me that I better not ever say anything to anyone or I'd be sorry." 

"I don't care if Malfoy has lusted after her for years, there is no way that she feels the same way about him!" 

Ginny told them about catching Hermione looking at Malfoy and about those dreams she used to have. 

"That proves nothing!" Harry said. "I refuse to let you fix them up!" 

"Oh no!" Ron said to Pansy. "Harry's in for it now!" 

Ginny reared up like a snake ready to strike. "How dare you tell me what to do! Who do you think you are?" 

"I'm your boyfriend Ginny. I care about you and I care about Hermione. Malfoy is an evil bastard and I know he'll hurt her!" 

"I happen to care about Hermione as much as you do!" Ginny shouted. "She deserves to be happy!" 

"You think Malfoy will make her happy?" 

"Yes I do!" 

"You're crazy Gin! When has he ever shown love for anyone other than himself? He is not capable of loving another person!" 

"I think he is! I'll prove it to you! They'll get together! They just need a little push." 

Harry balled his fists up in his pockets. "I'd like to give him a push all right! Off a ten story building!" He looked at Ginny's determined face. "I know you, Gin. Once you get an idea in your head, you're like a dog with a bone! You're not going to let this go, are you?" 

"I know I'm right! Pansy thinks I'm right!" she said, looking over at the two snogging people on the bench. "What the..." 

Harry looked over Ginny's shoulder. "I don't believe it!" 

Ginny laughed. "If they can be together, why can't Malfoy and Hermione?" 

"It's just so unnatural! They can't like each other!" Harry said in anguish. "I hate Malfoy! If she starts to go out with him, I'll have to be civil to him and I don't think I could do that! Please Ginny, don't play matchmaker for them!" 

Ginny smiled. "Maybe I won't have to," she said thinking of the two of them on the camping trip. "Maybe they'll come together on their own!" 

"I highly doubt that!" Harry said. "They're probably trying to kill each other as we speak!" 

to be continued...


	20. 20

  
Author's notes: Love making and a fishing trip.  


* * *

"They're at it again!" Terry said in disbelief. They were all sitting around the fire in front of the Professor's tent.   
"I know! How many times in one weekend can they possibly do it?" Parvati asked. 

"What I want to know is why the Professor is letting it go on," Justin said. "Where is he anyway?" 

"He's taking ANOTHER walk," Ernie said. 

Lavender snorted. "That man must have the calf muscles of a marathon runner! All he does is take walks!" 

Terry put his hands over his ears. "I can't hear myself think with all the cries of 'Oh Draco! Yes!' coming from their tent!" 

Just then, the Professor came strolling out of the woods, humming a song and looking happy as a lark. He stopped dead in his tracks as Hermione's cries of passion reached his ears. He looked over at the campers sitting around his fire. They were all grinning at him. 

"For the love of all that is good and holy!" he said and stomped over to Draco and Hermione's shaking tent. "This is not the Love Shack Mr. Malfoy!" he yelled into the tent. 

Momentarily, Draco unzipped the flap a little way and stuck his head out. "Something I can help you with? Do you need some advice on technique? Or perhaps you would like to watch?" 

The Professor grabbed the flap and pulled it open. Draco stood there, wearing nothing but his red hat. Hermione threw the sleepingbag over her head. 

"I have had enough of this!" he said to Draco. "I understand that you and Miss Granger are attracted to each other, but I cannot permit you to disrupt the trip by doing the horizontal mambo every time I turn my back!" 

"Jealous?" Draco asked with a smirk. 

The Professor's face turned twenty shades of red. "Get dressed! And if I catch you going at it again, I will make you switch tents with Miss Abbott!" 

"I'll just have to be more quiet next time," Draco said under his breath on purpose. 

"What do I have to do? Sleep outside your tent tonight?" 

"Why not? You slept outside YOUR tent last night. Or should I say, passed out in a drunken stupor and slept the night away in a puddle of your own puke?" Draco wiggled his eyebrows. 

The Professor clenched his jaw, turned and walked away. 

"Come back anytime, sir! I'll be happy to show you a few moves that will be sure to make your woman... OR MAN... scream for more!" Draco chuckled and zipped up the tent. 

"I hate that boy!" the Professor mumbled, walking past the others and going into his tent. 

Five minutes later, Hermione and Draco exited their shelter and took a seat with the others. 

"That was awesome the way you stuck it to the Professor," Terry said laughing. 

"Thanks," Draco said and turned to Ernie. "I thought I told you to come to my tent and I'd give you some appropriate clothing to wear." 

Ernie looked uncomfortable. "W... well, I didn't want to interrupt you." 

"There's nothing to interrupt now, let's go." Draco stood up and Ernie reluctantly followed him. 

Ten minutes later, Draco came out and announced, "Presenting the new and hipper MacMillin." 

Ernie came out wearing baggy black jean shorts and tan a T-shirt that said 'Welcome to the Gun Show'. He had no idea what this meant, but Malfoy had insisted that he wear it. In place of his pennyloafers, he was now sporting some kind of name brand trainers. He reached up and adjusted the bandanna that was around his head. "I look completely stupid, Malfoy!" 

"No you don't!" Lavender said, jumping into his arms and rubbing his spiked hair. "You look sexy!" 

Ernie was taken aback by Lavender's comment. "I do?" 

"You look good Ernie!" Susan said "Different... but good." 

Everyone agreed. 

Hermione smiled at Draco. "I thought you said you would never go around doing good deeds?" 

"Don't get to excited, Granger. I'm not making a habit of it!" 

The Professor walked out of his tent carrying five fishing poles, a bucket and a tacklebox. When he saw Ernie, he raised an eyebrow but said nothing. "Four of you will accompany me on a little fishing trip. The other six will get the fire going and cook up what ever you can find." 

"Whatever we can find?" Terry asked. "Exactly what does that mean?" 

"It means, trap a rabbit, find some berries, kill a squirrel and make kabobs for Merlin's sake!" 

"I think I'll go fishing," Terry said. 

"Me too," Draco said. "Coming?" he asked Hermione. 

"I don't think so. Fishing's not my thing." 

"And arranging the dead flesh of a squirrel on a stick is?" 

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. 

"Were going to come to Professor," Lavender said, pulling Ernie over to join the group. 

"Well, that's it then. Let's go!" the Professor said, leading his group down the path to the pond. 

"As they walked away, Hermione turned to Justin. "Someone call Satan because I think Hell just froze over." 

He gave her a confused look. 

"There goes a Slytherin, a Ravenclaw, a Gryffindor and a Hufflepuff. Who would have ever guessed in a million years that those four people would be going on a fishing trip together?" 

"I see your point," Justin said with a smile. 

Ten minutes later: 

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Hermione asked Justin. He was setting up a trap with a box and a string. 

"I'm sure. I read about it in chapter 10 of our text book." 

Hermione was not impressed with the crappy looking trap. "I'll go look for some apples. I thought I saw some on that tree over there." 

"See you later," Justin said. 

She walked through the bushes and came out on the opposite side of the field they were playing games in earlier. There were indeed apples on the tree and she picked a few. Placing them in her shirt, she turned to go. Her foot slid on something slimy and her feet came out from under her. The apples flew up and thudded to the ground. 

"Yuck!" she said as her hand landed in the slimy mess. She looked down and saw that it was a small dead animal of some kind. She hopped up and wiped the stinky mess off her hands with some leaves. "That is just so gross!" she said, giving the bloated carcass a nasty look. 

She picked some more apples and slowly walked back to camp. Taking her time to listen to the birds singing. 

"I can't watch!" Hermione heard Parvati saying. 

"Can't watch what?" she asked, putting the apples down on the ground. 

"Just look what he's doing!" Parvati said, pointing to Justin. 

"I see your trap DID work." Hermione watched as Justin slit the bunny open and gutted it. 

Parvati made gagging noises and ran off. 

"Where are the other girls?" Hermione asked him as he cut the rabbit's head and tail off. 

"I think they're out looking for berries or something." He was sliding the knife under the animal's skin. 

"Here they come," she said, watching Mandy, Susan and Hannah walking towards the camp. 

"This is my favorite part!" Justin said as he held it up by the feet and peeled it's fur off in one piece. 

"Oh my god!" Susan said in a strangled voice. She watched Justin for a second and then went running off to join Parvati in a puke fest. 

Justin laughed. "What a bunch of girls!" He put the cleaned rabbit on a stick and began roasting it over the fire. 

"Look! Here come the others!" Hannah exclaimed. 

Hermione looked over and saw Draco carrying the bucket. His face was red from the sun and he looked very proud of himself. 

"Hello!" he said, setting the bucket down and kissing her cheek. 

Hermione looked in the bucket and saw about ten fish. "You guys caught all these?" 

Terry frowned. "No. Your lover boy caught them all." 

Hermione gave Draco a surprised look. "You did?" 

"It seems that not only do the woman fall at his feet, but the fish do to." Ernie said. 

The Professor handed Draco a knife. "You caught them, you clean them!" 

Draco cleaned the fish in no time and soon they were all eating their dinner, talking and laughing. Little did they know that in a few hours, tragedy would strike. 

to be continued...


	21. 21

  
Author's notes: An attack leaves some campers at death's door.  


* * *

"Wow! Look at the sunset!" Mandy said.   
"That is absolutely beautiful!" Lavender said from Ernie's lap. 

Everyone nodded in agreement. 

"Can you believe that we graduate in a few weeks?" Terry asked, blowing out his flaming marshmallow. 

"It'll be so weird to not come back to Hogwarts anymore," Hermione said sadly. 

"What are your plans for after graduation?" Justin asked everyone. "I plan to get a job at Gringotts. I love banking!" 

"I'm going to marry a rich man and sit at home by the pool and paint my nails and drink wine all day." Parvati said. 

"Where are you going to find a rich man?" Hermione asked her. 

"Maybe Malfoy has a very handsome older cousin that is available," Parvati said. 

"As a matter of fact, I do," he said, playing with the knife the Professor had given him earlier. 

"Is he as hot as you and your father?" she asked, raising her eyebrows. 

Hermione choked on her spit. "You think Lucius Malfoy is hot?" 

"Hermione, he is 100 percent beefcake!" Parvati said laughing. "How can you think he's not? Draco looks just like him!" 

"I happen to think he looks more like his mother," Hermione said frowning. 

"How about you, Malfoy?" Justin asked, changing the subject. "What do you want to be when you grow up?" 

"Are you kidding!" Terry said, taking the wrapper off of a chocolate bar. "He doesn't need to BE anything! He's got good looks, money and a Manor House with five hundred house elves! He's set for life." 

"Actually, Boot, I'll probably be the first Malfoy in history to actually need to have a job." He started cleaning his nails with the knife tip. 

"Why's that?" 

"As soon as my father hears that I plan on marrying a Muggle born, I'll be disinherited like that!" he said, snapping his fingers. "I'll need to get a job to support my wife and little half- Muggle babies." He put the knife back in the sheath and slipped it into his back pocket. 

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I don't recall you asking me to marry you." 

"You're right!" he said "Must have slipped my mind!" 

"Yes, your mind IS pretty slippery!" she said, taking off his hat. 

"Hey! Give that back!" he said, grabbing for it. 

"I don't think so!" she said running away. 

He jumped up and chased her around the camp. She was dodging him and laughing. "You run like a ponce, Malfoy!" 

"Oh yeah?" He sprinted and then tackled her to the ground. "I'll have that back!" He said, straddling her and snatching back his hat. 

"Get off me! Your crushing my ribs! I can't breath!" she said, laughing and struggling to throw him off. 

"You must be punished for taking my sexy hat, Granger!" 

"No! Please! Stop!" she shrieked as Draco tickle tortured her. 

"Won't they please be quiet? We don't need the Professor to wake up from his after dinner nap!" Lavender said. 

"Hey! You're going to wake up our fearless leader if you don't cease with the noise!" Terry said, taking a huge bite of his S'more. 

Draco looked over at Terry and noticed that he was eating something that looked pretty good. "What's that you're shoving in your face?" 

"It's a S'more, Malfoy," he answered. "Want one?" 

Draco helped Hermione up off the ground and went to make a snack. "Okay, so what do I do?" he asked, picking up the bag of marshmallows. 

"Here, I'll show you," Hermione said. She pulled a graham cracker out of the package and broke it in half. Then she took the other half of Terry's chocolate bar and put it on one side of the cracker. "This next part is fun," she said, picking up a sharpened stick. 

Draco watched her put the marshmallow on the end of the stick and put it over the glowing embers. When it was toasty brown, she took it out and slid it onto the graham cracker that had the chocolate on it. After placing the other cracker on top, she smooshed it together and then took a huge bite. 

"What a freakin mess that makes!" he said, watching her eat. She looked at him and smiled. Her teeth were covered in chocolate and marshmallow was dripping down her chin. 

"Messy but delicious!" she said, taking another bite. 

Draco curled his upper lip in distaste. "I don't think I'll be having a 'schmoe' anytime in the foreseeable future." 

Terry and Ernie collapsed on each other in hysterics. "Did he just call it a 'schmoe'?" Terry asked, trying to catch his breath. 

Draco's face turned red. He looked around at everyone laughing at him. "Stop laughing at me!" he said, clenching his teeth together. 

"Sorry Malfoy! But that was just so damn funny! Schmoe! Honestly!" Lavender said in amusement. 

Draco wanted nothing more than to punch her in the mouth and actually lunged towards her. Hermione put her hand out to stop him. "I hate people making fun of me!" he said to her. 

Hermione tried to calm him down. "It's all right, Draco. Friends make fun of one another. They mean no harm by it!" 

Terry stopped when he realized that Malfoy was clearly upset. "Sorry, mate. Didn't mean to upset you!" 

"Whatever," Draco said, pouting like a sulky child. 

There was an uncomfortable silence. A wolf howled somewhere in the distance making Mandy jump. 

"I know! Let's play Hide and Seek!" Hannah said. "It's always better to play it in the dark!" 

"That's a good idea! Sounds like fun!" Hermione said. "Who wants to be 'it'?" 

"Well I sure as hell don't!" Draco said. 

"Me neither!" 

"I hate being 'it'!" 

"I'm not playing if I have to be 'it'!" 

Hermione groaned in exasperation. "I have a way to fix the problem, you bunch of babies!" she said. "Everyone put a foot in." 

They all walked over, made a circle and stuck a foot in. 

"My mother and your mother," Hermione said, pointing to each foot in turn. "Were hanging out clothes. My mother punched your mother right in the nose. What color was the blood?" She landed on Justin's foot and looked at him. 

"Um... er... seafoam?" 

Everyone's eyes goggled. "Did you just say seafoam?" Terry asked, raising a brow. 

Parvati and Draco sniggered. Hermione decided to just continue. "S-e-a-f-o-a-m spells seafoam," she said, glancing at Justin's red face and trying not to smile. "And you are the one to be 'it'!" She landed on Terry. 

"Figures!" he said. "Well, let's get this show on the road!" He looked around. "Where should I count?" 

"How about your tent?" Susan said. 

"That'll work!" he said and took off in that direction. 

As soon as they heard him start to count, they scattered like sheep. 

Hermione ran through the trees. Luckily the moon was bright and she could see where she was going. Her plan was to hide in that apple tree she had visited earlier that day. She was halfway across the field when she heard a low growl. 

Turning around slowly, she came face to face with a pack of wolves. Her heart jumped to her throat. She stood very still, not daring to move a muscle. 

The big one in the front, bared it's teeth and snarled at her. "Nice doggy!" she whispered. "Think Hermione! Think!" she said out loud, darting her eyes around. She decided take slow steps backward, until she reached the tree line and then climb up one with all her might. 

The moment she lifted her foot, the pack attacked. Hermione screamed, turned and ran. She only got a few steps when she was thrown to the ground. One of the four wolves jumped onto her back. She threw her hands over her head, screaming as the wolf's teeth tore into her arms. 

Draco was crouched down beside a huge fallen tree, smacking at the mosquitoes that were eating him alive. "Stupid bloody bugs!" His head suddenly snapped up as he heard Hermione scream in the distance. 

He pulled the knife out and took off running through the woods. He stumbled through the tree line and out into the moonlit field. The sight that met him was one of pure horror. 

Hermione was lying on the ground, covered in blood, thrashing and screaming as a huge wolf attacked her. He took a few running steps forward and then noticed three other wolves were racing toward her. 

This time he did not hesitate to save her. He sprinted into the field, brandishing the knife and yelling like a maniac. 

The three wolves stopped and changed direction. They headed straight for Draco. He saw them coming but didn't care. All he cared about was getting to Hermione. 

The first wolf to reach him, hit him head on and Draco fell to the ground. He momentarily had the wind knocked out of him. The wolf lunged for his throat and Draco put up his hands and tried with all his strength to hold it off. It was growling and snarling in his face. Draco could feel and smell it's hot breath. 

He suddenly remembered that he had the knife. He let go of the wolf with one hand and blindly felt the ground for it. "Where the hell is it!" he yelled into the night. The second wolf bit down on his arm, ripping his flesh and he screamed. The third one sunk it's teeth into his thigh and shook, trying to take out a chunk. 

His fingers felt the cold metal of the blade and he grabbed it and plunged it upward into the chest of the wolf that was on top of him. It yipped in pain as Draco stuck it in farther. Blood poured out of the animal, spattering Draco in the face and soaking his white T-shirt. The other wolves let go of him. 

Hermione let out a scream that echoed through the forest. Draco threw the dead wolf off and jumped up. The other two wolves had abandoned him and were headed for Hermione. "NO!" he shouted. 

Ernie heard all the screaming and ran through the woods, ignoring the branches that slapped him in the face. He heard Draco yell 'NO!', just as he reached an apple tree and slid on something slick. he grabbed the tree and managed not to fall. 

He ran to the edge of the field and halted. He saw Draco, stumbling and covered in blood. His eyes traveled to Hermione, lying in the grass with a monstrous beast attacking her. When he saw that the other two wolves were heading for her, he thought fast. 

He ran back to the apple tree and picked up the small dead animal. Racing back to the field, he shouted, "Over here!" and flung the carcass as far as he could in the opposite direction of Hermione. 

Draco looked over at Ernie gratefully and kept going. 

The two wolves stopped and sniffed the air. One of them put it's head back and howled, making the hair on the back of Ernie's neck stand up. They ran towards the dead animal, the bigger one getting there first. It turned and growled at the other one, defending it's meal. 

The smaller one lunged and attacked the bigger one, ripping a hole in it's throat. Ernie averted his eyes. 

Draco reached Hermione, who wasn't moving. He brought the knife up and plunged it into the wolfs back. It lifted it's blood covered snout and growled. Draco pulled the knife out and then stabbed it dead in the eye. It howled painfully and fell over, the knife still protruding from it's socket. 

The last wolf had finished it's meal and as Ernie stepped out into the field to help Draco, it crashed into him. He fell with a loud thud. Draco looked down at the unconscious body of his girlfriend, kissed her bloody forehead and picked up a large rock that was lying next to her. 

Draco crawled over to where Ernie was screaming for his life and brought the rock down as hard as he could on the wolf's head. He heard a loud crunching sound and the animal keeled over. 

Ernie rolled the wolf off of himself and sat up. He watched as the other campers came crashing throught the trees. Draco crawled back over to Hermione and lifted her into his arms. He was crying and hysterical. 

The Professor ran over. "Oh my god!" he said, kneeling next to a blood covered Draco. "She's not dead is she?" 

Draco stood up shifting Hermione's weight in his arms. 

"It looks like a friggin blood bath! What happened?" Terry asked, glancing around at the dead wolves. 

Ernie had gotten to his feet. "The wolves attacked Hermione. Draco killed them all!" he said to the shocked white faces around him. 

Draco was ready to collapse from exhaustion and blood loss. He swayed and almost fell over. 

"Mr. Malfoy, hand miss Granger over to me. You are in no condition to carry her!" the Professor said, moving to take Hermione. 

"Don't you touch her!" Draco screamed. Her held her tight and kissed the top of her head. "She's fine. She's all right!" he said crying. 

"She is not all right! We need to get her to Madam Pomfrey! Now give her to me!" the Professor said harshly. 

"Touch her and you die!" Draco said madly. 

The Professor turned to the others and pleaded with his eyes for help. 

Terry stepped forward. "Mal... Draco. We need to get Hermione some medical attention. I know how much you love her and care for her. You are not in the best condition to carry her right now. Please let us assist you?" 

Draco looked at Terry through his tears. "You're right. I don't think I can hold her for much longer. Please take her and be gentle." 

Terry took Hermione from Draco's arms and said softly to him, "I promise I'll be careful." 

Draco's knees suddenly buckled and he fell to the ground. 

to be continued...


	22. 22

  
Author's notes: Everyone returns to Hogwarts.  


* * *

Ron and Pansy were patrolling the halls that night, every once in a while sneaking a snog behind a statue. They were in the middle of one of these make out sessions, when Lavender and Parvti came running at full speed down the corridor.   
"What the..." Lavender said, seeing Ron and Pansy attached at the lips. 

Ron leaned up against the wall, holding tight to Pansy. "What are you doing back so early? I thought you weren't coming back until morning?" he said, smiling. 

Parvati suddenly remembered what they were supposed to be doing. "Ron! We've been sent to find you and Harry! There has been a horrible accident!" 

Ron pushed off the wall and grabbed Parvati. "An accident? What's happened?" 

"It's Hermione! She's with Madam Pomfrey in the Hopsital wing!" 

Ron and Pansy looked at each other and quickly took off down the hall. 

"Oh my god! Did you see Ron sucking face with Parkinson?" Lavender said. 

"Ew, I know!" Parvati said sticking her finger down her throat and pretending to retch. 

Ron and Pansy headed for the North Tower. Ron yelled the password to the Fat Lady and they clambered inside the Portrait Hole. 

"Harry!" Ron said, spotting him and Ginny at a table playing chess. "You need to come with us!" 

Ginny and Harry stood up. "Why? What's going on?" Harry asked in a frightened voice. 

"There's been some sort of accident and Hermione's hurt! She's with Madam Pomfrey!" 

All four of them raced to the Hospital wing. They barged through the doors and came to a sudden stop. Hermione and Draco were lying on beds, apparently unconscious and soaked with blood. Madam Pomfrey was waving her wand over Hermione's arms and mumbling an incantation. 

"I knew it! They tried to kill each other!" Harry said. 

Pansy went over to Draco's bed and peered down at him. His pale blonde hair was now a shade of red and she brushed it off his sticky forehead. 

"What happened?" She asked Professor McGonagall and the Muggle Studies Professor. 

"Terrible! Just Terrible! Miss Granger was attacked by a pack of wolves and Mr. Malfoy here, was seriously injured while trying to save her." 

All four looked at Malfoy, who was now being cleaned and healed by Madam Pomfrey. 

"Are you sure that maybe Malfoy didn't call on the Hounds of Hell to come and kill her?" Harry asked. "I doubt that he would ever risk his own precious hide to save someone else, especially a Muggle born!" 

"I was there!" Ernie said from another bed. "I saw him. He took on all those wolves and killed them, just to save her! It was so amazing. And then, when a wolf jumped on me, he smashed it's skull with a rock and saved me too!" 

The four of them looked incredulously at Ernie. 

"Why would he do that?" Ron asked in disbelief. 

"Because he loves her," Ernie whispered and his head fell back onto his fluffly pillow. 

Madam Pomfrey finished and came over to the group and said in a whisper "I do believe that they will be fine. Miss Granger has some serious bite wounds. I've cleaned and dressed them. She has also lost a lot of blood and will probably be unconscious for some time." 

They looked at each other in relief. "Thank goodness that Mr. Malfoy came to her rescue when he did. I don't think she could have survived much longer." Madam Pomfrey said, looking sadly at Hermione. 

"What about Draco? Is he going to be all right?" Pansy asked. 

"Mr. Malfoy has a few bite wounds, one of them severed the artery in his leg. He has lost a massive amount of blood and is suffering from shock and exhaustion. I'm going to keep an eye on him tonight and if he doesn't improve, I'll have to send him to St. Mungo's." 

Pansy sat on the edge of Draco's bed and started to cry. "He's the only one who has stood by me and not abandoned me. He's the best friend I ever had and I can't stand to see him like this!" 

Ron went over to Pansy and put his hand on her shoulder. "He'll be fine. They'll both be fine, you'll see." Pansy picked up Draco's pale blood streaked hand and gently kissed it. Standing up, she embraced Ron as she cried. "Shh. It's going to be all right," he said, rocking her. 

Madam Pomfrey asked them to leave so that she could get her patients cleaned up. She told them they could come back in the morning. 

The four of them slowly and sadly walked down the corridor. "I can't believe this!" Harry said. 

"I know. They looked so... so horrible! I thought for sure they were dead." Ginny said with tears in her eyes. 

"I'm not talking about that Gin, I'm talking about the part where Malfoy threw caution to the wind and actually took on a pack of wolves!" Harry said . 

"I never knew he had it in him!" Ron said. "Always took him for the kind that would run from danger." 

"That's because you lot don't know Draco. The real Draco." Pansy said sort of angrily. 

"And who is the REAL Draco?" Harry asked frowning. 

"He is not a coward. Did he run from what Voldemort wanted him to do last year? No, he did not! The Draco you see, is an act. He's really very kind and loving." 

Ron snorted laughter. "You have got to be kidding! Malfoy kind and loving? The reason he probably saved her is so that he could rub it in our faces about being a big hero or something. He has an ego the size of the Quidditch pitch. 

Ginny stopped walking. The others kept going for a few steps and then noticed she wasn't following. "What's the matter?" Harry asked her. 

"There IS a reason that Malfoy would have risked his life to save her. He loves her remember?" 

"Not this again! Drop it Gin, it's not true! They are not in love with each other!" Harry said. 

"Actually, it is true," Terry Boot had come around the corner with Hannah, Justin, Susan and Mandy. 

"How are they?" Suasn asked. "They wouldn't let us in to see them." 

"Hermione is fine. Malfoy on the other hand is touch and go. They might have to send him to St.Mungo's," Ginny said. 

"What he did is so romantic, don't you think?" Hannah asked them. 

"How in the bloody hell is what he did romantic?" Ron said rolling his eyes. 

Terry smiled. "Of course. You weren't there, you don't know about them do you?" 

"What about them?" Harry asked getting annoyed. 

"They were shagging like bunnies the whole time we were at camp." 

"Shut your filthy lying mouth Boot!" Ron said, pulling out his wand. 

"Is it true?" Ginny asked Mandy. 

Mandy grinned. "Oh yeah. It's definitely true!" 

"I knew it!" Ginny jumped up and down. She gave Harry a smug look and said, "I told you so!" 

"Who else knows about them?" Pansy asked Terry. 

"Just the people who were on the trip," Justin said. "Us four, Ernie... oh yeah, and Lavender and Parvati." 

"Not those two! The whole school will know by morning!" Pansy said, suddenly quite jumpy. 

"What's the big deal if everyone finds out?" Ginny said to her. 

"You've seen how everyone in Slytherin has treated me since I renounced the Dark Arts and started going out with your brother! Once they find out about Draco and Hermione, all hell is going to break loose! We have to find them and make sure they don't tell anyone!" 

"Keep your hair on woman!" Terry said. "No need to go rushing off to find those two big mouths. McGonagall made all of us promise not to breath a word about what went down at the camp." 

"Thank Merlin!" Pansy said relaxing. "I'm sure Draco and Hermione want to tell everyone themselves." 

"Tell everyone what?" Harry said. "I still refuse to believe that anything is going on between them! It's just to disturbing to be true!" 

"Well it is true, Potter!" Terry said. "I heard her say that she loves him! And I heard him say that he wants to marry her and have little half-Muggle babies!" 

Ginny giggled. "Little half-Muggle babies? Lucius is going to just DIE!" 

"If only!" Pansy said. "He is going to shit a brick when he finds out about this!" 

"Lucius Malfoy does not shit bricks, Pansy, he shits diamonds out of his platinum asshole." Ginny said with a smirk. 

"Thankfully he's locked up and we won't have to deal with him!" Ron said, ignoring the laughter from Ginny's remark. 

"There's no chance that he could get out?" Hannah asked. 

"No chance in hell!" Harry said. 

to be continued...


	23. 23

  
Author's notes: Harry gets the shock of his life.  


* * *

During the early hours of the morning, Hermione opened her eyes. At first she was very confused about where she was. As soon as she realized she was back at Hogwarts, she sat up in her bed and looked around.   
She saw Ernie, lying on his side, snoring loudly. "Why is he here?" she wondered. She turned her head the other way and almost had a heart attack. Draco was lying on his back. The blanket was pulled up to his chin. He was so still and pale, that Hermione thought for sure that he was dead. A moan of anguish left her trembling lips. 

She ripped back the blanket and placed her feet on the floor. Her legs felt like soggy noodles and she held on to the bed as her vision went temporarily black. 

"I'm going to pass out!" she thought, taking deep breaths and sitting down on the edge of her bed. After a few minutes, she felt better and slowly got to her feet again. Looking down at her arms, she was shocked to see that they were heavily bandaged. "My god! What happened?" Her head snapped up as Ernie let out a huge snort in his sleep. She looked back over at Draco and took small shuffling steps. 

"He can't be dead. He can't be dead," she repeated over and over in her head. When she reached his bed, she slowly stretched out her hand and caressed the side of his face. It was ruff with stubble, but it was warm to the touch. 

She collapsed on his chest sobbing in relief. She lifted her head and looked into his face. There were a couple of scrapes and scratches on his cheek and forehead. Hermione slowly pulled down the blanket to see the rest of him. 

The sun was rising and it sent a shaft of orange light across his body. Hermoine let out a gasp as she saw his bandaged arm and legs. One of the wounds on his leg was seeping blood and soaking the bandage. She cried out to Madam Pomfrey. 

The Matron came running. "What are you doing out of bed? You need your rest, you've been through a terrible ordeal!" 

"What is wrong with him? Why won't he wake up?" 

"I think he's going to be fine, Miss Granger," she said. "I need to say the healing incantation on this wound once more for it to heal properly." She took the bandage off and slowly the bite began to heal. 

"You really should get back to bed miss Granger, you need your rest." 

"I'm not moving from his side!" 

Madam Pomfrey gave her a piteous look. "At least let me conjure you a reclining chair so you're more comfortable." 

"Thank you, that would be great." 

She helped Hermione into the chair and then went to check on Ernie. He was sitting up and stretching. "Morning," he said to them. 

"Well Mr. MacMillin, I would say that you are free to go. After you get your clothes on, you may go back to your dorm." She placed a screen around Ernie and then bustled off. 

After Ernie was decent, he came over to Hermione. Looking down at Draco's bed, he said, "He really is a brave chap isn't he?" 

Hermione looked curiously up at him. "What exactly happened out there?" 

Ernie preceded to tell her everything that had transpired in the field the previous night. "So you see, he not only saved your life, but he also saved mine." 

Hermione slid to the end of her chair and laid her head once again on Draco's chest. Tears were streaming down her face as she listened to his heart. 

Ernie was feeling like an intruder, so he said goodbye and promised to come back later in the day to check on them. 

After he left, Hermione picked her head up and stared at Draco's face. "You really are beautiful," she said, brushing the bangs from his closed eyes. She leaned forward and whispered to him, "I love you Draco and I want to be yours forever." Her lips gently descended onto his. 

Lightning fast, his arm came up and his hand pushed her head forward, sending her mouth crashing into his. She pulled back and looked into his smirking face. 

"Forever huh?" 

"How long have you been awake?" she asked, him feigning anger. 

"Long enough to hear that charming declaration of love!" 

"You are such a beast!" she said, capturing his mouth in a passionate kiss. 

"Come on Harry! I thought you wanted to visit Hermione before breakfast?" Someone was shaking him awake. He reached his hand out to the nightstand and found his glasses. He put them on and Ginny's face came into focus. 

"What time is it?" he asked, stifling a yawn. 

"Time for you to get your lazy ass out of bed!" Ginny yanked the covers off him. 

"Where's Ron?" 

"He's already waiting in the common room with Pansy." 

Harry threw some clothes on, tried to smooth down his many cowlicks and followed Ginny out the door. 

The halls were silent and their footsteps echoed off the walls. "Do you think there's been any improvement?" Ron asked. 

"I hope so!" Ginny said. "Malfoy looked so horrible last night, I wonder if they had to transfer him?" 

"I think that answers your question!" Pansy said stopping. Everyone followed her gaze. 

"Get your filthy disgusting lips off her!" Harry ran forward, pulling out his wand and aiming it at the kissing couple on the bed. 

Hermione stood up and in her weakened state, almost fell over. She grabbed Draco's bed for support. "How dare you barge in here and tell him what to do!" 

"B... but he was kissing you! For Merlin's sake those same lips probably have touched Voldemort's stinking fungus covered feet!" Harry was livid. 

Hermione sat on the edge of Draco's bed. He sat up painfully and put his arm around her. She didn't see him giving Harry a smug smile. 

"Hermione...," Harry started to say. 

"I don't want to hear it Harry! There are many things I have to tell you so you need to listen." 

"It's a long story Potter, so try not to let your mind wander. It's much to small to be outside on it's own." Draco said, raising his eyebrows and daring him to say something. 

Harry's wand twitched to curse him, but for Hermione's sake, he held back. "Fine! Tell us about this fairy tale love story of yours!" 

"How do you know it's a love story?" she asked him. 

"We ran into Terry Boot and some of the others you were camping with," Ron said. "He told us about you and Malfoy." 

Draco asked, "And what exactly did he say?" 

Ron opened his mouth, but Ginny interrupted. "He told us about the two of you humping each other like dogs all over the camp. And he also told us that you plan on having a couple of baby Malfoys." 

Hermione blushed furiously, avoiding Harry's eyes. 

"Is it true?" Pansy asked Draco. "Are you in love with each other?" 

Draco kissed Hermione on the cheek. "Yes. It's true." 

Harry quickly looked to Hermione thinking she would say Malfoy was crazy and knock his sorry ass out of the bed. But to his astonishment, she kissed Malfoy and told them all that she loves him too. 

"This is not happening!" Harry said loudly. "It's a trick Hermione! He's only pretending to love you, because he knows it'll hurt me!" 

Hermione stood up, anger flashing in her eyes. "Contrary to popular belief Harry, the world does not revolve around you!" She took a few steps towards him. "This is not a joke. We are in love and I plan on being with him for the rest of my life. You better learn to deal with it or..." 

"Or what? You mean you would choose him over me? His dick means more to you than our friendship? I can't believe that you would throw away seven years just for this worthless pile of shit!" Harry turned and stalked from the room. 

"I don't think he took the news to well," Ginny said with a smile. 

Harry quikly walked to the Great Hall. There was only two other people there because breakfast had only just started. He sat down and poured himself some pumpkin juice, which he knocked over in his attempt to grab some bacon. "I can't believe this! What else can go wrong?" he said sopping up the mess with a napkin. 

Just then an owl swooped down and landed on the table in front of him. He took the envelope from the owl and it flew off. He opened it and read, heart dropping. 

DEAR MR. POTTER,  
YOU ARE HEREBY SUMMONED TO APPEAR BEFORE THE WIZENGAMOT FOR A HEARING TO DETERMINE THE FUTURE INCARCERATION OR RELEASE OF MR. LUCIUS MALFOY. THE HEARING WILL TAKE PLACE ON MAY 30TH AT 10AM. 

The letter fell from his hands and floated to the table. 

to be continued...


	24. 24

  
Author's notes: Blaise confronts Draco.  


* * *

Ron, Ginny and Pansy sat down at the table next to Harry. "What's that you got there?" Ron asked, shoving eggs in his mouth.   
"Nothing," Harry said, sticking the letter into his pocket. 

Neville tapped Harry on the shoulder. "Can I talk to you for a minute?" 

Harry gave him a curious look. "Sure." 

Neville glanced around at Pansy, Ginny and Ron. "In private?" 

Harry got up and followed Neville out into the hallway. "What's up?" he asked. 

Neville pulled an envelope out of his bag. "I got this by owl this morning." 

Harry took it and read it. "I received the same letter," he said, showing it to Neville. 

"I can't believe that they are even thinking about letting that lunatic loose on society!" Neville said. 

Harry totally agreed with him. "We must have to testify about the fight at Ministry. Luna, Ginny and Ron weren't there the whole time, but we were. Have they contacted Luna?" 

Neville turned scarlet with embarrassment. "Why would I know if Luna got an owl?" 

Harry rolled his eyes. "You can stop playing stupid, Neville. I know about you and Luna." 

"You do?" Neville asked shyly. "Who else knows?" 

"Just Ron and Ginny." Harry smiled at the poor boy. "Why all the secrecy?" 

"I don't know." 

"If you are together, you shouldn't be ashamed." 

"I'm not ashamed!" Neville said indignantly. "It's just not anyone's business who I'm going out with!" 

"Don't worry Neville, I won't say anything," Harry said laughing. 

Neville visibly relaxed. "Do you think we should say anything to the others about the hearing?" 

"Maybe later. We've already had some bad news... well, to me it's bad news." 

"What bad news?" 

"If I tell you, Neville, you can't say anything to anyone." 

"I swear I won't tell." 

Harry looked around to make sure there weren't any eavesdroppers. "Hermione was hurt during the camping trip she was on." 

"Is she all right?" Neville asked, concerned. 

"She's fine. But there's more horrible news. Brace yourself now... Malfoy and Hermione fell in love during the trip and now they want to get married and have disgusting little half-Malfoy brats!" 

Neville clutched his heart. "No way!" 

"Yes way, Neville." 

"Where IS Malfoy?" Neville asked looking around. 

"Well, it seems Ferret Boy suddenly likes to act like a hero. He saved Hermione from a pack wolves and got himself seriously injured during the rescue mission. He's in the Hospital Wing hopefully suffering as we speak." 

The bell rang and the two of them headed off to their first class, still discussing Malfoy. As they walked away, someone stepped out from behind a suite of armor. "Interesting! Very interesting!" Blaise Zabini rubbed his hands together gleefully and headed off to find Theo Nott. 

Draco was lying on his side in his bed, talking to Hermione, who was reclining in the chair next to his bed. "Did you ever wonder why I was in every one of your classes this year?" he asked her. 

"Actually, I just assumed that fate was being good to me." She gave him a huge smile. 

"It wasn't fate. Last year, when we filled out the forms about what classes we wanted to take the following term, I kind of snuck a peek at yours and signed up for the ones you did." 

"Why?" 

Draco sighed sadly. "Because I knew that this would be the last year that I would be able to see you and I wanted to be around you as much as possible." 

"Everyone wondered why YOU of all people took Muggle Studies. How did you explain that to Crabbe and Goyle?" 

"I just told them that I was taking every chance I could get to torture you our last year. They both have the mentality of a retarded clam, so they believed me." 

"Did everyone believe you?" 

"Pansy already knew the truth of coarse. Zabini kind of looked at me weird but said nothing. Other than that, no one questioned what I was doing. Why would they? I'm Draco Malfoy, hater of all Mudbloods." 

"Why would Pansy have known the truth?" 

"Oh yeah, forgot to tell you. Pansy has known all along about my feelings for you." 

"And she never said anything? Why?" 

"Because I've known a secret about her," Draco said with a smirk. "We were drunk one night in fourth year and I slipped and told her that I loved you. When she didn't respond by beating my ass, I was intrigued to say the least. She was really quiet and had this far off look. I thought maybe she was going to pass out from too much booze. I asked her if she was all right and that's when she said that had secretly been lusting after someone too." 

"She told you it was Ron?" 

"I almost puked right then and there! I mean... ew. He's just so undignified. He dresses like a homeless person, he's not very smart, he has the table manners of a chimp and he has red hair and freckles!" I could not see what she saw in him!" 

"Did she understand why you liked me?" 

"I told her that I thought you were beautiful and smart and had big tits like cassaba melons." 

Hermione shook her head. "Back in fourth year, I had frizzy hair, huge front teeth and no breasts. I was not beautiful. Smart, but not beautiful." 

"You're right. You were a deformed beaver with an afro and a brain to big for your skull." 

Hermione giggled. Draco smiled but still looked serious. 

"When you and the Weasel started to go out, Pansy and I were crushed to say the least. The people we loved going out with each other! It was unbelievable!" 

"You didn't have long to wait for our breakup. There was no way I could put up with his never ending talk of Quidditch and the fact that I always had to do his homework for him and the way he talks with food in his mouth. We never had any fun together. All we did was fight." 

Draco smirked. "Well now he's Pansy's problem." 

"I wish her all the luck in the world! It is kind of weird that both of you would end up with your heart's desire in the same weekend. Are you sure you didn't slip me a love potion?" Hermione asked. 

"I would never stoop that low. I'm just as shocked as you are about this whole thing. I'm not going to question why it happened, I'm just glad that it did." 

"So am I," she said, sliding off the chair and crawling into his bed. 

Suddenly, they heard loud voice. "What do you mean I can't see him?" 

"You are not on the list of approved visitors!" Madam Pomfrey said in a cool tone. 

"Approved visitors? Since when is there a list to visit someone in the Hospital Wing? I want to see Malfoy right now!" 

The color ran out of Draco's face. "Oh my god! It's Zabini! how did he find out I was here?" 

"It was probably Lavender and Parvati, they can't keep their gossiping mouths shut!" Hermione got out of the bed and peeked around the corner. "It IS Blaise." 

"This is just friggin great!" Draco said sarcastically. 

"You cannot see Mr. Malfoy. Now please leave before I have to call the Headmisstriss!" 

"I know you can hear me Malfoy! I know what's going on! And I know someone who would just LOVE to find out about it!" Blaise yelled. 

Draco slowly and painfully got up out of the bed and walked towards the door. "What the hell are you screaming about Zabini?" 

Blaise's slanted eyes locked onto Draco's. "I know about you and your Mudblood girlfriend!" 

Draco gave Madam Pomfrey a nod that meant it was okay for her to leave them. She pursed her lips and went back to her office. 

"I have no idea what you're talking about Zabini. What Mudblood girlfriend?" 

"Granger! That's who! I heard about the two of you!" 

Draco smirked. "Believing gossip Zabini? You know for a fact that I would NEVER touch a Mudblood." 

"But I heard that you saved her and that you two were... I can't even say it... in love!" He said the last two words like they tasted bad. 

Draco leaned up against the wall. "It's true that I did save Granger, but I do not and never will be in love with her. Even the thought of it is making me nauseous." 

"Why did you save her? Why didn't you let her die?" 

Draco rolled his eyes. "To hold it over her head, stupid! Now she owes me a life debt!" 

Blaise paused and digested this information. "I never thought of that." 

"Of course you didn't, you NEVER do think do you? Always jumping to conclusions! Me? Love Granger?" Draco laughed as if this was the most ridiculous thing in the world. 

A movement caught Draco's eye and he turned and watched Hermione walk over to the window, open it and retrieve a letter from a brown owl. 

Blaise watched Draco watching Hermione and what he saw there, didn't add up. He wasn't looking at her with hatred and disgust. He was looking at her, well like he wanted to jump on her and rip her clothes off. He didn't trust Malfoy one bit and told him so. "I know something is going on and I plan on finding out what it is." 

Draco pushed himself off the wall and got in Blaise's face. "Go ahead, you'll just be wasting your time." 

Blaise glared at Draco and then turned and left. 

Draco made his way back to where Hermione was waiting. "We have a serious problem." 

"You don't know the half of it!" she said, holding out an envelope. 

to be contiued...


	25. 25

  
Author's notes: Draco gets a letter and Pansy gets hurt.  


* * *

"It's for you," Hermione said, handing the letter to Draco. "It's from your Mummy"   
"You scared me for a second! I thought it was from my father! Wait. Why is this a serious problem?" He looked at her uncertainly. 

"I don't know. I was just joking." She smiled at his frowning face.  
"Go ahead, open it!" 

Draco tore open the envelope. Hermione watched as he read it. She loved the way his face lit up. "Good news?" she asked. 

"Yes. Mother says that she was informed of my accident and that she is glad I'm all right. She also says that I'm to get a special award for services to the school because I saved a certain girl from impending danger." Draco grinned. 

"My hero!" Hermione said, putting her hands under her chin and batting her eyelashes. 

"Can I ask you something Granger?" he said, putting the half read letter on the night stand. 

"Yes." 

"Do you mind if I owl my Mum and tell her about us?" 

Hermione bit her lip. "If you're sure she won't come up to the school and kill me for corrupting her precious Drakie Pooh." 

Draco smirked. "YOU corrupted ME? I think it was the other way around!" 

"Your right. Maybe I should tell her about all the sexual things you've taught me these last couple of days." 

"I think she'd throw a party." 

"Why?" 

"Because I do believe she thinks I'm gay. After all, the I've never brought home a girl or even said anything about liking one to her." He twirled a piece of her hair around his finger. "I mentioned you a lot, but that was only to pretend that you infuriated me." 

"Your name came up very frequently in my household too." She laughed lightly. "Every time I came home, all I did was complain about you and tell everyone within earshot that I wished you would die." 

Filch came in, Mrs. Norris walking behind. "I was told I had to give these back to you." He held out their wands. 

"Oh thank you Mr. Filch!" Hermione said, taking her wand and hugging it to her chest. 

Filch gave her an envious look and held out Draco's wand. 

"I'll never let you out of my sight again!" Draco said, planting kisses up and down it's polished surface. 

"Couple of crazy weirdos," the caretaker said under his breath and left. 

They spent the next hour alternating between using their wands for magic and making out. Throughout the day, many people came to visit. Terry, Hannah and Justin spent an hour telling them about all the gossip going around about where Draco and Hermone were. 

"Has Zabini said anything?" Draco asked. 

"Why would he say anything?" Terry said. "He doesn't know shit about what's going on." 

Draco told him about their encounter earlier in the day. 

"That's all you need is for that fool to open his mouth and tell everyone in your House about Hermione." Terry grinned. "Would you like for my fist to accidentally slip and punch his teeth in? Or perhaps I could mistake him for the loo and piss all over him." 

"Why are you not in Slytherin?" Draco asked smirking. "I never thought for a moment that you were so devious and evil! I'm impressed." 

Terry smiled and said "Coming from the master, that means a lot!" 

"So what are they saying about us?" Hermione asked, ignoring the boys. 

"They've all figured out that something went down on the trip, but some of the things they've come up with are just silly." Justin said. 

"That's because Lavender and Parvati have been making up stories. They can't tell the truth because they promised, so they've made up some crazy stuff!" Hannah said. 

"Yeah. Like telling people that you stole the Professor's wand and turned Hermione into a giant naked mole rat." 

"That would explain why SHE'S here, but why would I be in the hospital?" Draco asked. 

Justin started laughing. "They said that when you saw how hideous she looked, you tried to beat her to death with shovel and accidentally hit yourself in the head." 

They all had a good chuckle at this. "I swear, the things those two come up with!" Hermione said. 

"We should be going, our free period is over," Terry said. They stood up to leave. 

"Hey Boot. Will you do me a favor?" 

"Sure." 

"Will you take this letter to the owlery and send it off for me?" Draco asked, handing him the letter to his Mother. 

"Right away. And get better," Terry said shaking Malfoy's hand. "See ya later Hermione." 

"He's not such a bad guy. Terry I mean," Draco said, lying down on his bed. 

Hermione smiled. "Aw! Your first real friend! How cute!" 

Draco rolled his eyes. "Shut up Granger." 

"Why don't you make me?" she said seductively. 

He grabbed her and pulled her on top of him. She leaned in and captured his lips in a searing kiss. He ran his hands up and down her hips. 

"I think I've gone blind!" They heard Harry say. 

Draco and Hermione turned their heads to see Harry, Ginny and Neville standing there. 

Ginny clasped her hands together. "You two are just so damn cute!" 

"When we leave here, will you please obliviate me?" Harry asked Neville. "I don't want this image playing over and over in my mind." 

"Why are you here Potter?" Draco asked, holding Hermione tightly so she couldn't get off him. 

"I have some news that I think you should know. I had no intention of telling you, but they thought I should." He motioned his head towards Ginny and Neville. 

"What news could you possibly have for ME?" 

Harry stepped forward and handed Draco the letter about the hearing. "Neville also got one this morning." Draco opened it and together he and Hermione read it. 

"W...what the bloody hell!" he stammered. "The 30th? That's in two days!" 

"Glad to see you can add, Malfoy," Harry said sarcastically. 

Hermione jumped off the bed and picked up the letter from Narcissa. "But Draco just received an owl from his Mum this morning. She didn't say anything about Lucius or a hearing." 

Hermione scanned Narcissa's neat handwriting. Her jaw dropped while reading the last paragraph. "Did you read this whole thing, Malfoy?" she asked looking over at him. 

"No. I never do." 

"Well maybe you should from now on!" Hermione read the last few sentences out loud, "By the way, I was informed just yesterday that your father will be having a hearing and possibly be released as early as next week. I know how you feel about him, Draco. He has had a difficult time in Azkaban and hopefully he has seen the error of his ways. We need to be there for him. Everyone deserves a second chance, Draco. Your father is no exception. I love you and will see you soon, Mother." 

Draco was stunned. "He CANNOT be let out!" 

"Why are you so angry? I thought you'd be jumping for joy!" Harry said, folding his arms over his chest. 

Draco had a hard blazing look in his eyes as he turned to Harry. "You have no idea how much I hate that bastard." 

Harry was taken aback by Draco's statement. "I always thought you wanted to be just like him? Hell, you friggin broke my nose on the train in sixth year and said it was for your father!" 

"It was all an act, Potter!" 

"Well if it was, you deserve an award! You played the part of an arrogant racist Jr. Death Eater to perfection! I bow to your acting capabilities!" Harry was indignant with anger. "There is no way I'm going to stand here and listen to your lies. Everyone thinks you've changed, but not me. You are just like your evil father and nothing you say or do will ever change my mind. I'm going to that hearing and make sure that he never gets out!" 

"You do that, Potter!" Draco smirked. "You go and make sure that my murdering sorry excuse for a father stays in prison where he belongs! I have faith in you, if anyone can do it, you can." 

Silence met this statement. Neville felt like he was going to have a heart attack. Ginny and Hermione looked at Draco like he had suddenly grown three heads. 

Harry, confused and embarrassed, said nothing but turned and walked out the door. 

"Well, that was uncomfortable!" Ginny said. "I better go after him." she said and waved goodbye. 

Neville who had said nothing this whole time, suddenly spoke. "It's true then? You and Malfoy?" he asked Hermione. 

"Yes Neville, it's true, but don't say anything." 

"Don't worry. I'm good at keeping secrets! I have a secret of my own." He smiled slyly at them. "Luna and I have been going out this whole year." 

Draco, who had been getting a drink from his glass of water, spit the whole mouthful all over the floor. "W...what?" he said choking. 

"Luna and I. We're a couple!" 

Draco laughed. Hermione shot him a disgusted look. "That's wonderful news Neville!" 

"Yes, well, I'll be going now. See you later and I hope you feel better!" Neville left, Draco's laughter following him out the door. 

Hermione turned on him quick as a flash. "How could you laugh at him like that?" She slapped him on the arm. 

"Longbottom and Loony Lovegood? That is the most... the funniest..." 

"I think they make a cute couple!" 

"A couple of what? He'd forget his own ass if it wasn't attached and she's as crazy as a shit house rat!" 

Hermione chuckled despite herself. "She is quite eccentric, isn't she?" 

"Is that what they're calling it these days?" 

During dinner in the Great Hall that evening, Blaise and Theo Nott sat discussing their plan. "You sure?" Theo asked. 

"I'm sure. There is something going on with our fearless leader and that Mudblood bitch. I'm going to find out what it is. And so help me if he's been lying to me..." Blaise ran his finger over his neck. "It's bad enough that Parkinson has turned into a Weasley lover and a Blood Traitor!" He said. 

Theo watched Pansy over at the Gryffindor table, spoon feeding Weasley pie. "And to think, she used to be a hard - core Muggle hater! Look at her now!" 

Blaise grinned. "Don't worry, she'll get hers. When she least expects it!" 

Pansy and Ron stopped in to say hello to Hermione and Draco before they had to patrol the halls that night. After they left, Madam Pomfrey checked on them one last time and turned off the lights. Hermione quietly crept over to Draco's bed. 

She climbed slowly up his body and straddled him. "I've been wanting to do this all day," she said, grinding herself into him. He moaned and put his hands on her hips, pushing her down harder. 

"What about Pomfrey? Won't she hear?" Draco asked, pulling Hermione's nightgown over her head and kissing her breasts. 

"I used a silencing charm on your bed," she said, sliding his pants off and licking her way back up his legs. 

Draco hitched in his breath as her warm, wet mouth descended on him. "Oh god Hermione," he said, tangling his fingers in her hair and moving her head faster. 

She let go and continued to lick and kiss her way up his body. Straddling him once more, she lowered her head and sucked on the tender flesh of his neck. She turned her head and devoured his mouth, pulling at his hair and sucking on his tongue. 

Draco couldn't take anymore. He positioned her and they both moaned as he slowly slid into her. "I love you so much." He whispered in her ear. 

"I freaking knew they were up to something! Look at them!" Blaise said to Theo. Both of them had snuck into the room after Madam Pomfrey went into her office. They were hiding under a bed where they had a perfect view of the sensual sight before them. 

"I know! Hand me a chamber pot so I can barf in it!" Theo said. 

"Let's go," Blaise said. "I know what I needed to know." 

The two of them quietly slid out from under the bed and quickly made their way out into the deserted hall. 

"God! I'm going to have to clean my eyes out with Filch's Magical Mess Remover!" Theo said. 

"I actually wish that I was Longbottom right now," Blaise said 

"Why?" 

"He always forgets everything and Merlin knows I would love to forget the image of Malfoy bonking that dirt veined Muggle!" 

"Ron. We have to stop!" Pansy said, laughing and pushing Ron lightly away. 

"I don't want to stop!" Ron said, pulling Pansy into an empty classroom. 

"Me neither!" Pansy said, kissing Ron hard. "But first I need to go to the loo." 

"Now?" 

"I'll be right back, lover, don't worry!" she said, blowing him a kiss and walking out the door. 

"Hurry back!" Ron said loudly. 

Pansy walked down the hall, smiling and humming. Suddenly she was blinded by a bright purple light and fell to the floor. The last thing she heard before she passed out was insane laughter and someone saying 'That's what you get, you traitor!' 

to be continued...


	26. 26

  
Author's notes: Narcissa thinks about her life.  


* * *

"Madam Pomfrey!" Ron carried Pansy through the doors of the Hospital wing. "Madam Pomfrey!"   
She came running. "What's happened?" she asked Ron. "Put her down over here!" 

Ron laid her down on the bed closest to the door. "I don't know what happened! We were patrolling and she said she had to go use the loo. I found her in the hallway, just lying there!" 

Draco and Hermione hurriedly put their clothing back on and ran around the screen. "Ron! Oh my god! What happened to Pansy?" Hermione said, kneeling down beside her bed. 

Madam Pomfrey examined her. "She's going to be fine! Enervate!" she said and Pansy stirred. Slowly she opened her eyes. "Where am I?" she asked. 

"Do you remember what happened?" Draco asked. 

"I...I was on my way to have a pee, when there was this bright purple light. I heard someone laughing and they said something... I can't really remember exactly." She sat up and rubbed the back of her head. "The voice was familiar though." 

"Someone did this to you on purpose?" Ron said shaking with anger. "When I find out who did this, I'm going to kill them!" 

"Why would somebody do this to you?" Hermione asked. 

Draco sighed. "Because, Granger, Pansy is now an outcast. All of Slytherin hates her. They've probably been waiting for a chance to hurt her." 

"They hate her just because she's going out with Ron?" 

"No stupid, that's just part of it. She, unlike me, had the courage to tell everyone on the first day of school that she was no longer the evil Mudblood hater that she was brought up to be." 

"Really?" Hermione asked, admiring the girl. "That must have been scary!" 

"Well, Miss Parkinson, I think you should spend the night here just for observation." Madam Pomfrey said. "Now everyone back to bed!" 

Ron gave Pansy a goodbye kiss, hugged Hermione and gave Draco a curt nod before leaving. 

"You know who it was Pansy don't you?" Draco asked. 

"I didn't want to say anything in front of Ron, you know how hot-headed he is. He would have gone on a murderous rampage as soon as I told him who it was. As much as I hate Blaise, I wouldn't Ron to get in trouble for hurting him." 

Hermione gasped. "It was Blaise who did this to you? What is WRONG with him?" 

"Nothing. Other than the fact that he's completely fucking psychotic!" Draco said. "He helped me out last year. You know, with my little 'task'. I think he was more than a little envious that the Dark Lord had entrusted me with such an important job." 

"Why would you have him help you? I never noticed you two hanging out together," Hermione said matter of factly. "You weren't friends. I'm sure I would have noticed." 

"Since when are you an expert on all things Draco?" Pansy asked with a smile. "Did you watch every move he made?" She raised her eyebrow and smirked. "Did you stare at him in the library and fantasize about him throwing you down on a pile of musty old books and screwing you until you screamed for mercy?" Pansy grinned at Hermione. 

Hermione blushed and bit her bottom lip. 

Draco cleared his throat and said in amusement, "It seems that Granger has indeed been stalking me for some years. Ah! If only I had known! We could have been fulfilling our every perverted sexual desire all this time." 

Hermione punched him in the arm. 

"Ow! Why are you always hitting me?" he asked, rubbing his arm. 

"Why do you always MAKE me hit you?" 

Draco licked his lips. "Because pain turns me on. And because you look dead sexy right before you throw a punch!" He leaned across Pansy's bed and kissed Hermione passionately. 

"Excuse me!" Pansy said. 

Draco broke the kiss and Hermione looked into his grey eyes with such love that Pansy was shocked. "My god! You ARE totally and completely in love with him aren't you?" she said, sitting up between the two of them. "So when's the wedding?" 

"I said go to bed!" Madam Pomfrey shouted from her office. 

The next morning, Pansy was released. Ron was waiting for her and vowed not to let her out of his sight- ever. "What have I gotten myself into?" she whispered to Hermione and Draco. Ron took her hand and together they left. 

Madam Pomfrey changed their bandages and announced that they were also free to go. "You've healed up nicely. I see no reason to keep you any longer. The house elves have brought you your school uniforms. After you've dressed, you may go." 

"What should we do when we leave here?" Hermione asked, putting on her socks. 

"I've been thinking about it and maybe we should pretend to still hate each other, at least until we know for sure that my father isn't getting out." 

"I don't know if I can do that. Seeing you and not being able to touch you? Impossible!" She said embracing him. 

"It's only for one day, Granger. Tomorrow is the hearing, Lucius will be denied freedom and then we'll be safe to tell the world about our little affair!" He kissed her hair. "You'll see, everything's going to be all right." 

Hermione wanted to believe him, but she knew from experience that not everything always turned out all right. 

Narcissa sat at the dining room table, picking at her breakfast. She was depressed and anxious. Her husband was gone, her only child was away at school, everyone in her family were either dead or not speaking to her. 

"It's all because of this Pure Blood shit!" she thought in anguish. "My husband is in prison and my darling son was marked for death all for the sake of Blood!" Because of it she had also been separated from her favorite sister, Andromeda and lost her other sister, Bella. 

When she was a child, she and Andomeda has been thick as thieves. The three Black sisters were not that far apart in age. Bella, the oldest, was always a strange child. She looked and acted different than her two younger siblings. From an early age, she was interested in the Dark Arts and listened to her father's lessons about Pure Blood superiority with rapt attention. 

Narcissa and Andromeda, on the other hand, never took their crazy fathers ideas to heart. They were to busy playing and enjoying life. 

Bella constantly lectured them on the importance of marrying a Pure Blood and neither were surprised when Bella married Rodolphus Lestrange. Narcissa and Andromeda joked about how ugly he was and that no one was going to force them to marry a gruesome looking man, just because he was the only available Pure Blood around. 

When the time came for Andromeda to marry. Her parents picked her future husband. He was a brutal man and a fanatic when it came to the Dark Arts. They had no idea that Andromeda was already involved with Ted Tonks, a wonderful loving man whom she had met in the Muggle town close to their home. 

Many nights Narcissa would hold Andromeda while she cried. It broke her heart to hear her favorite sister and best friend in the whole world talk about killing herself. Finally, Narcissa came up the idea of Andromeda running away. It was better to never see her sister again and know that she was happy, than to have her sister kill herself. 

Andromeda begged Narcissa to come with her. She almost went. At the last moment, Narcissa backed out. 

In the dead of night, Andromeda embraced her beloved sister, told her she hoped that one day Narcissa would have the courage to escape, kissed her and left. Narcissa never saw her again. 

When her parents and Bella found out that Andromeda had run off and married a Muggle, they were furious. Narcissa pretended to know nothing about it and acted just as upset as they were; but inside, she was happy and excited for her sister. At night, she would lie in her bed and think about how proud she was of Andromeda. 

When Narcissa first met the man she was to marry, her first thought was "Wow!" Lucius Malfoy was a very attractive man. He was rich and well thought of in the Wizarding world. His family was Pure Blood as far back as the middle ages. 

He treated Narcissa with kindness and respect and soon she fell in love with him. Her family were very excited that not only had they found her a good match, but that the couple actually seemed to be in love. Bella told her that that almost never happened and that she was very lucky. Bella did not love her husband, but was devoted to him like a good wife should be. 

Lucius and Narcissa were married in an extravagant wedding. They Honeymooned in the south of France and soon conceived a child. 

When they told their families about the baby, Bella decided to throw a party to celebrate. It was at this party that Narcissa first heard about a certain Dark Lord and his ideas about purging the Wizarding world of Muggles and Half- bloods. She did not know that Lucius was already a follower of Voldemort. 

Later that night, when they arrived home, Narcissa confronted him and told him that this Voldemort person was crazy and she had no intention of letting her husband join him. He told her that he was already a member of the Dark Lord's inner circle. He believed that their children deserved to grow up in a world that was safe. To him the world would never be safe if Muggles , no matter how magical, were allowed access to the Wizarding world. 

What could she do? She let him go. After all, he had good intentions. Slowly she noticed that he was changing, becoming hard and quick to anger. He snapped at her for every little thing, and was gone more often than he was home. 

When he did come home, he would tell her about how amazing this Dark Lord was and what fun he was having at their 'meetings'. She also noticed that he now had a hideous mark of a skull and a snake on his left forearm. He told her of torturing Muggles and how he and his best friend, Severus, had actually killed one. 

When she went into labor, Lucius was not home. He missed the birth of his son. Three days later, when he did come home, he took one look at his angelic son and said, "Thank god it's a son!" He then left and was gone for another two days. 

During his absence, Narcissa seriously thought about leaving him. But he now frightened her. She knew that if she left, he would come after her and possibly hurt her. She wept for herself and her baby. She still loved Lucius deeply and hoped beyond all hope that he would come to his senses and return to the loving husband he had once been. 

When Draco was about six months old, Lucius started to force her to go with him on his missions. She pleaded with him to let her stay home. She only wanted to take care of their son, not go around hurting helpless people. He wouldn't have it. He left Draco with the house elves and made her go with him. 

These were the most horrible times in her life and she still had nightmares about what he made her do. She secretly wished that this Dark Lord would die so she could have her life back. When Voldemort was 'killed' by baby Harry, Narcissa got her wish. 

Life went back too normal. Lucius fawned over his son. Commenting on how handsome and smart he was. He apologized to Narcissa repeatedly and even broke down crying, begging her to forgive him for being weak and abusive. She forgave him, after all, she loved him. 

Everything was fine, for awhile. That is until her sister, Bella, was thrown into Azkaban for torturing the Longbottoms into insanity. Narcissa was upset at first, but then she realized that Bella got what she deserved. 

Narcissa was blind to the fact that Lucius had not really changed. It was all an act. She didn't know about the times he lectured their son about Pure Blood superiority, or the times he had hurt Draco. She had no idea about what happened the summer after Draco's fourth year. She was in St. Mungo's, suffering from a nervous breakdown brought on by the fact that she couldn't conceive another child. She thought everything was fine and dandy. 

And then, it happened. The thing Narcissa feared the most. Voldemort came back. Lucius was summoned with the Dark Mark. He had to go, or it would mean death for him and his family. Lucius may be a lot of things, but a coward is not one of them. He went to the graveyard, expecting to be killed but came back, once more a member of Voldemort's inner circle. 

Narcissa was devastated. This time, however, was very different. She flat out refused to join him and threatened to leave him forever if he tried to make her. Lucius, who loved Narcissa with all his heart, let her stay home. 

Lucius, by this time, was tired of Voldemort. He wanted nothing more to do with him, but because of fear, he stayed. Voldemort was very angry, to say the least, when Lucius told him about the diary being destroyed. Voldemort almost killed him that night. He came home to his wife and she comforted him as best as she could. 

Narcissa received a shock when the news broke that her sister Bella and her crazy friends had broken out of Azkaban. She feared that at any moment, Bella would show up on her doorstep, which of course, she did. 

Between trying to hide her fugitive sister, all the raids on their house, and Lucius getting himself caught and put in prison, Narcissa was on the edge of another nervous breakdown. The final straw came when she was informed by the Dark Lord himself that Draco must kill Dumbledore or die. 

After the events of last year, Narcissa decided that family was the most important thing in the world. All she had left were her son, her husband and her sister that she hadn't spoken to in twenty five years. She was tired of being sad, she wanted to be happy. Everyone deserved to be happy, even her. 

So here she sat, alone and depressed when an owl tapped on her window. She went to the window, opened the latch and took the rolled up parchment from the bird's leg. 

It was from Draco. As she read about him being in love and who it was with, her heart soared. It didn't bother her in the least that he loved a Muggle girl. All that mattered was that for the first time, her son actually sounded happy. She rolled the parchment back up and smiled. 

Narcissa got up from the table and decided that a walk in the gardens on this glorious morning, would be wonderful. And then maybe, just maybe, she would write a letter to Andromeda. 

to be continued...


	27. 27

  
Author's notes: Blaise is very crazy but he ends up getting what he deserves.  


* * *

Hermione and Draco stopped at the doors to the Great Hall. Inside they could here everyone talking and eating breakfast.   
Draco turned and looked at Hermione. "Remember, we hate each other." 

Hermione gave him a weak smile. "See you in class," she said and walked into the Hall. She went to the Gryffindor table and sat down next to Ginny. Some people were staring and whispering, but it wasn't too bad. 

"Glad to see your back," Ginny said, giving her a hug. 

"Thanks." 

"Where's your Lover Boy?" Harry asked, jabbing a sausage with his fork. 

"He's waiting outside for a while and then he's coming in. We don't want it to seem as though we're together." 

Pansy and Ron sat down. "We just ran into Draco. He said remember not to look at him when he walks by." Pansy said, filling Ron's plate with scrambled eggs and shaking on some salt. 

Ron kissed Pansy's cheek and started to eat. 

"Why are you and Malfoy pretending to hate each other?" Harry asked. 

"Shh! Ginny said. "Keep your voice down!" 

Hermione leaned across the table a little and said, "It's just for today. Tomorrow is the hearing for Lucius and when he is back in Azkaban, Draco thinks it'll be safe to tell everyone about us." 

"Safe? Look what happened to Pansy!" Harry said. "You honestly think the psycho gits in Slytherin won't come after you?" 

"They probably will. I can hold my own against them, I'm not to worried about them. But if Mr. Malfoy were to be set free and discover who his only son is in love with, then I would be afraid!" Hermione said, picking up a piece of toast. 

"That's why you and Neville have to make sure that that lunatic stays put." Ginny said, handing the marmalade to Hermione. 

"I'll do my best, but I can't promise anything." Harry said just as the Hall went silent. 

Draco took a deep breath and sauntered inside. Immediately, the talking and eating stopped. All eyes followed his progress to the Slytherin table. Except for the few that were sitting at the end of the Gryffindor table, they kept eating, eyes down. 

Draco took a his regular seat in between Crabbe and Goyle. The talking and eating resumed. Blaise, who was sitting across the table from Draco, grinned nastily and said in a voice so low that only Draco could hear, "So, the big hero returns. How was it being stuck in the hospital with that Mudblood slag?" 

Draco's hand clenched around his goblet. He almost reached across the table and grabbed Blaise by the throat. "It was the most horrible time of my life." Draco smirked. "Having to listen to that know it all bitch all weekend and then being forced to reside in the same hospital with her! It was hell! I tell you, more than once I went over to her bed when she was sleeping and seriously thought about suffocating her with a pillow." 

Blaise leaned forward. "Oh really? I'm sure you DID go over to her bed, but it wasn't to suffocate her." 

Draco's heart began to beat to fast. "What are you insinuating, Zabini?" 

Blaise leered at Draco. "I saw you." 

"What exactly is it that you think you saw?" 

"I saw you fucking that Mudblood." 

Draco smirked. "And?" 

"And?" Blaise said, shocked. "You admit that you defiled yourself by sleeping with her? Aren't you afraid I'm going to tell everyone?" 

"Who would believe you? You have no proof! Not one person in this school would ever believe that I, Draco Malfoy, enemy of Mudbloods, would EVER stick my dick in Granger." Draco smirked. "So you go right a head and tell everyone, Zabini." 

Blaise turned red with anger and said through clenched teeth, "I'll get the proof I need, you'll see. And then, when your Father gets out of Azkaban tomorrow... oh yes, I know all about the hearing... then I'll show him what his son has turned into." 

"Why do you care so much about who I sleep with anyway, Zabini? Are you jealous? Do you want me to bend you over and stick it to you, you fag?" 

Blaise slammed his fist down on the table, spilling Draco's pumpkinjuice. He glared at Draco and then spit in his face. "You'll pay for that, Malfoy. You and your little bitch!" Blaise yelled, standing up. 

The Great Hall was suddenly silent again. Hermione looked over at the Slytherin table, her heart hammering in her chest. Draco smiled up at Blaise and said, "Bring it on, Zabini. Bring it on!" 

Blaise turned at stalked out, Nott following close behind. 

Classes that day were pure torture. Not looking at each other was next too impossible. Both were glad when it came time for Muggle Studies. In this class at least, they were free to talk to each other and even sit together. 

"This is so great!" Hermione said, planting a huge kiss on Draco's love starved lips. They took a seat at the same table. 

The rest of the class came in gathered around their table. "Good to finally be able to talk to you, Malfoy," Terry said. "I've wanted to ask you about that fight at breakfast this morning. What the hell was that all about?" 

"It seems that Zabini saw Hermione and I getting it on in the Hospital wing last night. He told me that he's going to tell my father." 

"So?" Justin said. "Isn't your father locked up?" 

"What's your father gonna do? Plan a great escape?" Ernie said. "I highly doubt that he would break out of prison to come after you just because some moron told him he saw you making love to Hermione." 

"The problem is," Hermione said. "That tomorrow there is chance that Lucius will be released from Azkaban." 

"How?" Lavender asked, shocked. "He's been convicted of being a Death Eater!" 

"I don't know," Draco said. "All I know is that Potter and Longbottom have been summoned to appear at his hearing. It must have something to do with what happened at the Ministry." 

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure that he'll stay in prison, Malfoy. I don't see how they could justify letting him go free." Susan said, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

"Thanks for you kind words, Bones. Now please get you hand off me." Susan pulled her hand away as if burned. "You lot are so touchy feely. It gives me the creeps." He tried to sound disgusted, but they all knew better. 

"We're having a NEWT study group tonight. Would you be interested in coming?" Justin asked. 

"How is he supposed to do that?" Terry asked annoyed. "We meet in the library! He can't be seen sitting at a table with us!" 

Parvati snapped her fingers. "I've got an idea!" 

"This should be interesting!" Terry said, rolling his eyes. 

Parvati ignored him. "We can all meet in the Room of Requirement! That way, no one will see Malfoy with us!" 

Hermione beamed. "That's a great Idea!" Parvati beamed back. 

"Who's all invited to this study group?" Draco asked. 

Hannah spoke up. "Well, all of us," she said waving her hand around. 

"And you can invite Harry and Ron if you like," Mandy said. "And that Pansy girl would probably have to come, seeing as she's attached to Ron by the lips." 

"What time do we meet?" Hermione asked. 

"7o'clock all right?" 

"That's fine," Draco said. 

The Professor came strolling in. "Time for review!" The class all took their seats. 

Harry, Ron and Pansy all agreed to come along to the study group. At 7o'clock they all met across from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Terry walked past the wall three times and the door appeared. 

Draco hated the Room of Requirement, it reminded him of fixing that damn vanishing cabinet in sixth year. But this room was cozy, not the large storage room he had spent so much time in. 

At the far end, there was a fire place that crackled merrily. Cushions were on the floor around it. In the middle of the room was a long table with chairs. Books lined the walls and on a small table in the corner, were bowls of snacks and bottles of butter beer. 

"This is much better than the library!" Parvati said, sinking down into a fluffy cushion. 

They all sat around and studied for a while. Harry made sure he was as far away from Draco as he could get. He sat at the table with Ernie and Lavender. 

"Break time!" Terry said, pulling out a bottle of booze from behind his back. 

"Not again!" Justin said. "Didn't we already do the drunk thing?" 

"Yes. And now it's time to do it again." Terry opened it and took a huge gulp. His eyes watered and he coughed. "Anyone else want some?" 

Half an hour later, they were all pretty drunk. 

"This is the best study group I've ever been to!" Ron said, and hiccuped loudly. "Not like the ones Hermione's in charge of!" 

"And what's wrong with my study groups?" she asked. 

"They are BORING!" Harry said, taking another sip from the almost empty bottle. "Never like to have any fun do you, Hermione?" 

"I do so like to have fun!" she snapped. "Don't I Draco?" she asked, tripping over Ron's huge foot and spilling the bowl of popcorn all over the floor. 

"I'm not sure, what do you do that's fun?" 

Hermione plopped herself down in Draco's lap rather hard. He let out a painful gasp. "Take it easy, Granger! I need that you know!" 

She giggled. "You want to know what I do for fun? Well this one time, for like four months, I did a little research." 

"How the bloody hell is that fun?" Ron asked. 

"Shut up Ron! Let me finish!" she said, throwing a handful of popcorn at him. "I did research on the shape and size of everyone ass!" 

Ernie choked as he was taking a drink. "You did not!" he said. 

Hermione smiled. "I did! I sat in the Library and took notes on every bum that walked by." 

Draco laughed. "I can just imagine what you wrote!" He held up an imaginary quill and began to write. "Ron's ass is as flat as a pancake. Harry's bum is nonexistent. Malfoy has the tight muscular buns of a Greek God." 

Everyone broke down laughing like crazy. "And what conclusion did you come to?" Pansy asked, tears of mirth spilling from her eyes. 

Hermione drank the last bit and blew into the empty bottle. She looked at all of them and said in a serious voice, "The conclusion I came to after much painstaking research, was that asses are like snowflakes." 

"What?" Terry asked. "What could snowflakes and asses have in common?" 

Hermione grinned. "You know how no two snowflakes are alike?" 

Terry said, "Yeah. So?" 

"Well, asses are the same. No two are alike. They are all one of a kind!" 

There was silence. Harry was the first to laugh. It started out as a chuckle, became a louder, and then he completely went into hysterics. "That is THE funniest thing I ever heard!" he said, rolling around on the floor. "Snowflakes!" 

"I don't think Potter should be allowed to drink again. Clearly he can't handle it," Draco said smiling. Harry's laughter was contagious and soon they were all roaring. 

At 10o'clock, the party broke up. Draco and Hermione were the last to leave. They stood in the corridor, clinging to each other. "I don't want to let you go!" Draco said. "I want to stand here and hold you until the morning light shines through the window, illuminating your beautiful face." 

"You are such a romantic dork!" she said, kissing him. 

"Shall I walk you to Gryffindor Tower?" 

"I don't think that's such a great idea. You never know who's wandering the halls. You can walk with me to the end of the corridor though." 

"It would be an honor, my lady," he said, kissing her hand and linking his arm through hers. 

They said their goodbye and Hermione watched Draco head for the dungeons. "Shit!" she suddenly said, smacking her forehead. "How could I be so stupid?" 

Hermione turned and headed back the way she came. She had forgotten her books. 

Draco entered the Slytherin common room and found Nott lounging on the sofa. "Where've you been?" he asked Draco. 

"How is that any of your business, Nott?" 

"Been hanging out with your Mudblood whore have you?" he said sitting up. "You shouldn't have left her. I have a feeling that she's about to have a nasty accident." 

Draco stepped over to Nott and lifted him up by his shirt. "What the hell do you mean... ACCIDENT?" 

Nott just grinned. Draco pushed him back onto the sofa. "If he hurts her, there's going to be hell to pay!" 

Nott cackled like a crazed man. Draco picked up his foot and kicked him in the chest, knocking the sofa over backwards. He stood over him, wand pointed in his face. "I'll deal with you later, I promise," he said, shaking with anger. He turned and ran out of the common room. He sprinted down the hall and up the stairs. He was headed for Gryffindor Tower, when he ran into Ron and Pansy snogging in front of the portrait hole. 

"Have you seen Hermione?" he said, trying to catch his breath. Ron and Pansy both said "No." 

"Why? What's wrong, Malfoy?" 

"Are you sure she didn't come this way?" Draco asked, grabbing Ron and shaking him. 

"I'm sure!" Ron said, trying to pry Draco's hand off his shirt. 

"I've got to find her! He's going to hurt her!" Draco said, dropping Ron and taking off like a bat out of hell. 

Hermione walked three times in front of the door, went in, retrieved her books and walked out. She let out a gasp and dropped the books to the floor. There, standing in front of her, looking extremely murderous, was Blaise Zabini. 

"W...what do you want?" Hermione asked, backing up until her butt hit the wall. She reached for her wand. To late. Blaise already has his in her face. 

"I'm going to hurt you, Mudblood. Teach you and your Blood Traitor of a boyfriend a lesson." He raised his wand, Hermione closed her eyes. 

Draco rounded the corner and sprinted up hall. He jumped on Blaise, sending them both skidding across the floor. Hermione opened her eyes and pulled out her wand. She screamed. 

Some kind of indescribable rage took over and Draco lost control. He beat the hell out of Blaise. He punched and kicked every part of the boy he could get to. 

Ron, Harry and Pansy came running down the corridor. "Malfoy!" Harry yelled. "Malfoy! Stop!" Harry and Ron each grabbed one of Draco's arms and pulled him off Blaise. Draco was still in a frenzy and elbowed Ron in the head. Ron let go and fell on the ground. 

"I'll kill you! You bastard!" Draco yelled, lunging for Blaises' unconscious body. He managed to slip from Harry's grip and they all cringed as Draco's foot connected with the side of Zabini's head. 

"Draco!" Hermione screamed. "You need to stop before you DO kill him!" She ran to him and pulled him away. He looked at Hermione's frightened and tear streaked face. 

"He was going to hurt you! I had to stop him!" 

"I'd say you certainly stopped him!" Ron said, getting to his feet and rubbing the side of his head. "I don't think the son of a bitch is going to be dancing a jig anytime soon!" 

Harry was looking at Draco, seeing him in a new light for the first time ever. He had to admit that Malfoy was obviously in love with Hermione, whether Harry liked it or not. What he just witnessed proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that this boy, that he once hated with a passion, would do anything to protect the people he loved. After all, Malfoy was going to kill Dumbledore to save his family. And he just might have killed Zabini if they hadn't shown up. 

"What should we do with this piece of shit?" Pansy asked, looking down at the bloody mess on the floor. 

"We should go and get help!" Hermione said. 

Harry stepped over to Blaise and moved his hand with the tip of his shoe. "I say we just leave the sick twisted fuck here. Someone might find him, and if they don't... oh well, one less asshole we have to put up with." he said and walked back down the hall. 

Draco and Ron looked at each other in disbelief. Pansy and Hermione's eyes were wide with shock. 

"I do believe Potter has the right idea!" Draco said. 

to be continued...


	28. 28

  
Author's notes: The trial. Will Lucius go free?  


* * *

Unfortunately, Blaise was found by Peeves in the middle of the night and taken to Madam Pomfrey. He was suffering from a severe concussion, three broken ribs and every bone in his right hand was crushed.   
"I wish I had been there to see Draco go ballistic. I bet he looked like an avenging angel." Ginny said. 

"Angel? Malfoy? I never expected to hear those two words grouped together in a sentence to describe Draco Malfoy!" Hermione said. "Although he does look quite angelic when he's sleeping, or reading, or just doing nothing." 

They were sitting in the common room, waiting for Harry and Neville. "Is Harry nervous?" Hermione asked. 

"Very. I think he's afraid of letting everyone down, especially you and Malfoy." 

"Look, here they come." 

Harry and Neville came down the stairs. Both were wearing their dress robes. 

"My my! Don't you look handsome!" Ginny said, kissing Harry on the cheek. 

"Is Malfoy ready to go?" Harry asked Hermione. 

"He said he'd meet you outside the gates. I'm still not sure he should go," she said with a sigh. 

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "It's his father Hermione. He has a right to be there, even if it's only to support his Mum." 

"I just hope everything goes all right." 

"It will," Neville said with confidence. "Harry and I will do our best to make sure he stays in prison." 

Hermione hugged Neville and then turned to Harry and hugged him. "Tell Draco that I love him and give him a kiss for me." 

"I would rather dance with a Blood Sucking Bugbear than kiss Malfoy!" Harry said. "But I'll tell him what you said." He smiled at her. "This whole you and Malfoy thing is going to take some getting used to." 

"Thanks for giving him a chance, Harry." 

"Anything for you," he said. 

"Ready Harry?" Neville asked. 

Harry gave the two girls one final look of determination and then left with Neville. 

"Malfoy." 

"Potter. Longbottom." Draco was dressed in all black for this very somber occasion. He had dark circles under his eyes, but looked very much in control of his emotions. Harry envied his cool exterior. 

"Shall we go then?" Harry asked. The three disappeared with a pop. 

Harry and Neville were told to take a seat in the corridor, apparently they were not allowed to hear the testimony of the witnesses before them. Draco was ushered in and took a seat with his mother. 

"I've missed you!" Narcissa gushed, kissing her son and embracing him tightly. "I'm glad to see you decided to come. I'm sure your father will appreciate it." 

"I'm not here for him. I'm hear for you." Draco said in a hard voice. 

"But Draco..." She started to say and was interrupted by the start of the trial. They sat down and watched in hushed silence as Lucius Malfoy was brought into the courtroom, flanked by members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad. 

He took a seat on the chair in the middle of the room. Lucius was looking a little ragged, but still had an arrogance about him. His eyes wandered the room and when they landed on Narcissa and Draco, he smiled warmly. Narcissa smiled back and wiped at her eyes with her handkerchief. Draco frowned, crossed his arms and averted his eyes. Lucius' smile slid from his face. 

Out in the corridor, Harry and Neville were joined by Remus Lupin, Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt and Mad Eye. It seems that they were also here to give testimony. One by one, the members of The Order were called in, none of them returned. 

Neville was sweating profusely and Harry was pacing the floor. The door opened and a witch called "Neville Longbottom!" 

Neville stood up on shaky legs and gave Harry a withering look. 

"You'll do okay Neville. Just answer their questions." 

Neville gave Harry a thumbs up and walked through the door. 

He looked up at the members of the Wizengamot in awe. "Are you Mr. Neville Logbottom?" the new Supreme Mugwump asked. 

"Y...yes," Neville said in a small voice. 

"Speak up!" 

"Yes! I'm Neville Longbottom." 

"You were present during the Battle at the Ministry, were you not?" 

"Yes, I was." 

"During said battle, Did you witness Mr. Malfoy using his wand to cast a spell, hex or an unforgivable curse?" 

Neville's eyebrows came together and he concentrated on remembering. "No. I don't think he did." 

"Did Mr. Malfoy at anytime make threats that he was going to injure anyone or kill anyone?" 

"I...I don't..." Sweat was running down his back and he felt at any moment he was going to pass out. "It's hard to remember. But I don't think he did." 

"What happened to Mr. Malfoy when the members of The Order of the Phoenix showed up?" 

"I think he was stunned or something. I'm not sure." 

"Thank you Mr. Longbottom. You may take a seat." 

Neville looked around and found a seat next to Tonks. She whispered to him, "You did fine." He smiled at her gratefully. 

Harry was brought in. 

"Are you Mr. Harry James Potter?" 

"Yes." 

"You were involved in the Battle at the Ministry?" 

"Yes." 

"When you were confronted in the Hall of Prophesy by Mr. Malfoy, did he attempt to harm you in any way?" 

"No. But that was because he needed the Prophesy for Voldemort." 

Some people gasped, other's clutched their hearts. 

"Are you saying that had it not been for the fact that he needed the Prophesy, that he would of harmed you?" 

"I can't be sure, but probably." 

"You can't be sure?" 

"No." 

"Did you at anytime see Mr. Malfoy harm any of the other children?" 

"No." 

Did you witness Mr. Malfoy trying to prevent other Death Eaters from using Unforgivable Curses on yourself and the other children?" 

"Yes. But again, that was because he needed the Prophesy to stay intact." 

"Was Mr. Malfoy the Death Eater that injured Miss Lovegood?" 

"No. That was Bellatrix Lestrange." 

"Was it Mr. Malfoy who injured Miss Granger?" 

"No. That was Dolohov." 

"Was Mr. Malfoy the one who put the Cruciatus Curse on Mr. Longbottom?" 

Harry could see that this was going badly. "No. It wasn't Mr. Malfoy, it was Bellatrix." 

"Other than the fact that Mr. Malfoy broke into the Ministry, did you witness him do anything illegal?" 

Harry thought about this for a long time. He looked over at Draco, who was sitting on the edge of his seat. "I'm sorry," he thought. "No. I did not witness Mr. Malfoy do anything illegal," he said to the Wizengamot. 

"Thank you, Mr. Potter. You may go. We will recess for one hour." 

Everyone got up and walked around. Lucius was taken from the courtroom. Draco took his mother hand and made his way over to Harry. 

Harry saw him coming and braced himself for the wrath that would surely come. "Look Malfoy," Harry said, holding up a hand. "I did my best. The questions they asked..." 

Draco took Harry's hand and shook it, surprising everyone in the Order and not to mention his mother. "I know you did your best. There's nothing we can do now but wait and hope that they make the right decision." 

"Yes," Narcissa said. "I hope that they let him go. That would be the right decision." 

Draco turned his head slowly towards his mother. "After all he's put you through, you would think that you'd want him locked up for the rest of his miserable life!" 

"But Draco, I love your father. I know he's made some terrible mistakes in the past and he swears to me that everything's going to be different when he comes back home." 

"Are you daft, woman?" Mad Eye said. "He's a Death Eater. A loathsome murdering good for nothing that's never going to change." 

"Some people do change. Some people find the courage deep within themseslves to admit their faults and then try to live a better life." Tonks said. "Right Aunt Narcissa?" She smiled warmly at her. "Mother was overjoyed to get your Owl. I've never seen her so happy!" 

Tonks gave Narcissa a huge hug and both women broke down crying. 

"Women!" Mad Eye said "I'll never understand them!" 

"I've given up a long time ago. They are an enigma that will never be solved," Remus said. Kingsley, Harry and Draco agreed. 

Narcissa spent the hour catching up with Tonks. "So you're engaged to Mr. Lupin?" she asked, looking at Remus' faded and patched robes. "And you say he's a werewolf?" Narcissa raised her eyebrow. "Can I ask you something personal dear?" 

"Sure." 

"If you get pregnant, will the babies be werewolves, half-werewolves or... I don't mean to be rude, but will you have a litter?" 

Tonks laughed. "We're not exactly sure! But I guess we'll find out soon!" She pointed to her stomach. 

Everyone congratulated the parents to be. 

The happy moment was interrupted by the Wizengamot filing in and the prisoner being brought back to his chair. 

"We have reached a verdict. Mr. Malfoy has already been found guilty of breaking into the Ministry and served his time for that offense. We can find no evidence to convict him of other crimes. The prisoner is free to go!" 

Narcissa jumped up and ran to her husband. Draco turned and silently left the courtroom. Harry and Neville followed. 

Draco was in the hallway, cursing and kicking the wall. "I can't freaking believe that they let him go! What the hell am I going to do now?" 

People were coming out of the courtroom, giving Draco sympathetic looks. 

"Why do you need to DO anything? Harry asked. "You cannot let that man run your life!" 

"Yeah Malfoy! Grow some balls and stand up to him for once!" Neville said. 

"What did you just say?" Draco asked, amused. All three of them laughed. 

Draco suddenly stood straight up and glared as Narcissa and Lucius exited and came towards them. 

"Isn't this the best news, Draco?" Narcissa said, clinging onto her husband's arm. 

I've never been more happy in my life." Draco said sarcastically. 

"Hello Potter, Longbottom," Lucius said. "Long time no see." 

"Not nearly long enough!" Harry said, gripping his wand. 

Lucius just grinned at him. 

Kingsley came over and sensing tension, told the boys they needed to get back to school. 

Draco gave Narcissa a kiss on the cheek and told her goodbye. "Come home soon son, we have a lot of catching up to do," Lucius said. Draco didn't even react, he ignored Lucius like he wasn't even there. 

"Why is Draco with Potter?" Lucius asked his wife. "Are they friends now? Has my son turned into filthy Mudblood lover as well? What the hell has been going on while I've been away?" 

Narcissa cringed. "Mad Eye was right. He's never going to change," she thought sadly. And as they apparated home, her happiness at her husbands release turned into heartbreak. 

Hermione and Ginny were waiting outside the gates during lunch, hoping the boys would return before they had to go back to class. 

With a pop, they appeared. Right away the girls knew something was wrong. "Didn't go so well?" Ginny asked. 

"To say the least," Harry said. 

Hermione went over to Draco and took him by the hand. "Do you want to take a walk? We can talk about what happened." 

"You're going to miss class," Ginny said. 

"Screw class! This is more important!" Hermione said. 

"Never thought I'd hear her say that," Harry said. 

Hermione and Draco walked silently down the road to Hogsmead. When they got to town, they bought ice cream and sat on a bench in the sunshine. 

"Are you going to tell me what happened?" Hermione asked, eating the cherry off the top of her sundae. 

"Not much to say. Harry and Neville and the others did their best, but in the end, there just wasn't any evidence to keep him locked up." 

"What now?" 

"I don't know. Harry gave me some advice. He told me not let my father run my life anymore." 

"That's very good advice." 

Draco chuckled. "Not as good as the advice Longbottom gave me!" 

"What was that?" Hermione asked, intrigued. 

"He told me to grow some balls and stand up to my father for once!" 

"NEVILLE said that?" Hermione shook her head in disbelief. 

Draco took a huge bite of his ice cream cone and then clutched the side of his head. "Brain freeze!" he said in anguish. 

"I thought you had to have a brain to get brain freeze?" Hermione said, smirking. 

Draco looked up at her, smirked back and then shoved his ice cream cone into her face. 

Hermione was shocked by the cold confection and by the fact that her boyfriend had actually done what he did. "Agh!" she said, trying to wipe the mess off her face. It was up her nose and in her eyes. 

Draco was rolling in hysterics. He had no time to react when Hermione took her sundae and dumped in on top of his head. It slid down his pale head, leaving trails of peanuts and sprinkles. He looked at her with wide eyes. "You're going to pay for that, Granger!" he said, tackling her to the ground. Both were laughing so hard that neither one of them heard the person who apparated next to them. 

"Ehem! Excuse me!" 

Glancing up, Hermione and Draco saw Tonks standing there with a smile on her face, looking quite amused. 

"Tonks!" Hermione said. "Good to see you!" She got to her feet and then helped Draco up. 

Draco smiled at Hermione and ran a finger down her face, gathering melted ice cream and putting it into his mouth. 

Tonks was so happy to see these two people, who had once been sworn enemies, acting so much in love. "If you two are through with your food foreplay, I have a message to deliver from your mum, Draco." 

"You do? What is it?" he asked very concerned. 

"Your mum says that under no circumstances are you to let your father get wind of your relationship with Hermione." 

"What?" Draco said "Why?" 

"It seems that Lucius is still a Muggle hater. He was very upset to see you with Harry at the hearing. Your mother fears for Hermione's safety if Lucius finds out about the two of you. It seems he hasn't changed, as your mum hoped he would." 

Draco was furious. "I don't care if he finds out! I'm so tired of living like this! I want to be happy! I want to be normal! I want the world to know that I love this woman!" 

Tonks, who was very much in love herself, was heartbroken for this boy. "I can't stop you from telling everyone. Personally, If it was me, I'd do it. Just wait a few days, maybe Narcissa can talk some sense into him. I don't know if she can. One thing I do know, is that if your father finds out that his son is in love with a Muggle born, he's going to go on a murderous rampage. If you love Hermione, and I think you do, you need to protect her any way you can." Tonks sighed. "This is a life and death situation." 

"I know." Draco said looking at Hermione. 

to be continued...


	29. 29

  
Author's notes: Draco's birthday party.  


* * *

Word quickly spread around the school that Draco's father was now a free man. Most people were upset, after all, he was a Death Eater, and almost every family had lost a loved one during the war. A few people were indifferent, and some were actually happy. 

One of these people who were happy, was Blaise Zabini. "I told you Nott, Lucius always slithers his way out of trouble." 

"Yeah, after the first war, he told them he was under the Imperious Curse." Nott laughed. "How stupid could they be?" 

"This time though, they actually caught him in the act, but he still got off!" Blaise said. "That man is an evil fucking genius!" 

They walked into the common room and low and behold, they ran into Draco and Pansy. "Whaaat's up Draaaco?" Blaise said with a grin. 

Pansy smiled. "I don't know what's up, but I can tell you what's down... your zipper!" 

Blaise quickly looked down and indeed his fly was open. "Why you looking there anyway?" he said, adjusting himself. "Weasley not man enough for you? He have a teeny weeny?" 

"You should know, Zabini, I caught you looking at his dick in the loo the other day." Draco said and laughed. "You're such a flaming gay bastard aren't you?" 

Blaise sneered at him and took a seat on the sofa. He started to hum and then burst out in song. "Big Draco Malfoy, his clothes were mighty clean. He went swimming in a pool of mud, he made quite a scene. He started with the backstroke, followed by the crawl. You should of seen him swimming, when he heard his father call!" 

Nott busted out laughing. Pansy and Draco stared straight ahead and said nothing. 

Blaise, not getting the reaction from Draco that he wanted, decided to sing another song. "Mud, mud, Draco loves mud. He's absolutely, positively wild about mud!" 

"Shut your stupid damn mouth, Zabini!" Pansy said, jumping up and shoving her wand into Blaises' face. "I'm so sick and tired of your bullshit!" 

Blaise was taken by surprise but quickly recovered. Nott looked pretty scared and Draco just continued to stare straight ahead at the fire. 

"Get your wand out of my face you whore!" Blaise said in a low dangerous voice. 

"We should of let Draco kill you." Pansy said. "You and your kind deserve death. You are worthless and serve no purpose other than to make other people miserable. I feel sorry for you, Zabini." 

"YOU fell sorry for ME?" Blaise said. "I'm not the one who has to stick my tongue in the Weasel's mouth, or give him a hand job in the Prefect bathroom. I feel sorry for YOU." 

Pansy raised her wand and all three boys thought for sure she was going to lay one mother of a hex on Zabini. Instead, she bent down and kissed Blaise on the lips, shoving her tongue into his mouth. "Do you like the way Ron's dick tastes?" She asked him with a smirk. "I'm sure you've been dying to find out." She then elbowed him in the face, turned and went to her room. 

"That bitch!" Blaise said wiping the blood from his lip. 

Draco chuckled. "How many times in one week have you gotten your ass kicked? I think me and my new friends should make a contest out of it. See how many times in one day we can beat the living shit out of you." 

"You or your friends EVER lay a finger on me again and you'll pay with your life. Believe that, Mudblood lover!" Blaise said, getting up and motioning for Nott to follow. 

"I'll get that bastard if it's the last thing I do!" Blaise said as they left. 

The next four days passed without any trouble. They continued to go to the Study group every night, Draco making sure that Hermione got back to Gryffindor Tower without any problems. 

It was very difficult to try and hide the fact that they were a couple. Draco wanted more and more to just tell everyone the truth and get it over with. He sent a letter to his Mum telling her so. Narcissa sent Draco an Owl back begging him to be patient. She was trying her hardest to make Lucius see the error of his ways. She believed that she was making some progress and was afraid that if he found out about Hermione, all her hard work would go down the drain. 

On June 5th, Hermione surprised Draco with a birthday party. It was held in the Room of Requirement during study group. A few others were invited, like Ginny, Luna and Neville. Draco was extremely happy because he had never had a birthday party before. 

"What do you mean, you've never had a party? Not even when you were little?" Susan asked. "That's just so damn sad!" 

"Birthday parties were for Muggles, my father said. My mum would make me little cake... well, the house elves would... and very early in the morning on the day of my birthday, she would come to my room and have our own little celebration. Father never knew. He usually slept in until noon." 

"Well happy birthday, mate!" Terry said draining a shot glass and pouring another. "Let's all drink to Draco. The best drinking buddy a guy could want!" He threw back his head and downed another glass. 

"God! You are such a lush!" Hannah said. 

Terry wiggled his eyebrows. "Proud of it baby. Proud of it!" 

"Where do you get all this booze from anyway?" Ron asked. 

Terry leaned in close and fake whispered, so everyone could hear, "I've been sleeping with Madam Rosmerta. After we're done doing it, she always gives me a bottle of whatever I want." 

Ron blushed. He had had a crush on Rosmerta for years. "You're kidding right?" 

"Not kidding, Weasley. That woman has the best tits I've ever seen! You can't imagine the things she can do with her tongue!" 

"I'm sure I can imagine." Ron said with a faraway look. 

Pansy huffed and pulled Ron over to a cushion on the floor where she preceded to show him that her tongue was just as talented as Madam Rosmerta's. 

"Time to light the candles!" Lavender said. She was just as drunk as Terry and instead of lighting the candles on the cake with her wand, she missed and set Parvati's hair on fire. 

"Aghh!" Parvati screamed, pounding the flames. Mandy threw her sweater over Parvati's head and put out the flames. 

The sight of Parvati, bald on one side of her head was simply too hilarious. Terry fell off his chair, spilling his drink and gasping for air as he laughed uproariously. 

"It's not funny!" she cried and pointed her wand at Terry. He suddenly grew donkey ears and a tail. "You jackass!" 

Collin quickly snapped a picture. "This is going in my photo album!" 

"Terry let out a very loud 'hee haw' and stood up. "Oh yeah?" he said, throwing a spell in Collin's direction, which missed and hit Ernie. 

"What the..." Ernie reached up and found that he now was sporting a huge mohawk hairdo. 

Draco laughed. "Oh god! That's freaking hilarious!" 

Ernie gave him a smile and flicked his wand. Draco suddenly stopped laughing and looked down at his lovely grass skirt and coconut bra. He was wearing yellow lei and a giant purple flower was behind his right ear. 

"I know exactly what would finish this picture!" Harry said and conjured a ukulele out of thin air. He tossed it to Draco, who strummed it and started to sway his hips. 

Collin held up his camera and took picture of Draco doing the hoola. 

When his performance was done, he bowed said, "That was very fun, but if you don't mind MacMillin, I'd like my clothes back on?" 

Ernie reversed the spell. "Don't you want your old hair back?" Draco asked. 

"Actually, I think I'll keep the mohawk. It's so... punk." 

"As long as you don't pierce your nose or start wearing leather pants, I guess I'm fine with it." Draco said with a smirk. "Although, leather pants are better than a sweatervest." 

"I burnt all my sweatervests and I vow to never wear one again." 

"Thank Merlin for small favors!" Draco said, just as Hermione came over and led him by the arm over to a cushion by the fire. 

She sat him down and straddled him. "Happy birthday Draco," she said softly and leaned in to kiss him. Suddenly they were both blinded by the flash of Collin's camera. 

"That's a keeper!" Collin said, beaming. 

"Who invited this over zealous taker of pictures?" Draco said with a frown. 

Everyone looked around at each other. "Not me!" Ginny said 

"I didn't invite him!" Hermione said. 

"Don't look at me!" Harry said. 

"Well somenone did!" Draco said. "Who...?" He looked around just as the door to the room closed. 

Collin took off down the hall, straight to his room to develop the pictures. He smiled at the results. "These are pretty damn good, if I do say so myelf!" He took the picture of Draco in a grass skirt and the picture of Hermione and Draco in a compromising situation, put them in an envelope and sprinted out to Dark Forest. 

"You got the evidence?" The shadowy figure said, stepping out from behind a tree. 

"I've got it," Collin said, handing the envelope to Blaise. "Where's my money? I need it to buy more film." 

Blasie took some galleons out of his pocket and threw them at Collin. He pulled the pictures out and looked at them. "Excellent!" he said and headed for the owlery. 

to be continued...


	30. 30

  
Author's notes: Lucius finds out everything.  


* * *

Narcissa was having a bad dream. Her head was made out of glass and someone was tapping on it with a small hammer. "Stop that!" she moaned and rolled over. She put her pillow over her head and still the noise wouldn't go away.  
Lucius mumbled in his sleep, "I would love some Swiss cheese. No. No, put it on my head!"   
Narcissa giggled and then heard the tapping again. Taking the pillow off her head, she looked over at the window. Perched on the sill, was an owl, illuminated in the moonlight. 

She glanced over at Lucius and quietly got out of bed. Halfway to the window, she noticed that the bird had a huge envelope in it's beak. As stealthily as possible, she opened the sash and relieved the owl of it's delivery. 

She turned and leaned on the huge writing desk, looking curiously at the script on the front. It said 'Mr. Lucius Malfoy' in a childish scrawl. She reached into the desk drawer and pulled out an ornate letter opener, slit the envelope open with precision and pulled out two photographs. 

"What the bloody fucking shit!?" 

"Honey?" Lucius said, rolling over and sitting up. "What are you doing?" 

Narcissa heart was hammering in her chest and struggled to keep her cool. "Oh nothing dear," she said, hiding the envelope behind her back. Her hands searched for a drawer handle and finding one, she slid the photographs inside. "I couldn't sleep and so I was just looking out the window at the moonlight." She quietly shut the drawer. 

"Come back to bed Cissy, I'll wear you out and then you'll be able to sleep." He gave her a come hither stare and patted the space next to him. 

Narcissa smiled at him and slid into the bed, under the cool satin sheets. Soon the pictures of her son were the farthest thing from her mind. 

The week of NEWTS passed with few difficulties. There were a few altercations with Blaise, but nothing they couldn't handle. Narcissa still hadn't written back to Draco to tell him he could go public with his relationship with Hermione. In fact, she hadn't written to him at all. 

The couple were actually having fun sneaking around and almost getting caught. More than once, someone walked in on them in the back of the library. They would push each other and hurl insults and then one of them would barge from the library in mock anger. It was all great fun. 

Their little group of friends would still meet every night in the Room of Requirement. Draco would never admit it to anyone, but he now considered these people his friends. They would never admit it to Draco (for fear of extreme bodily harm), but they also considered him a friend. 

"Can you believe it? Two more weeks and then we graduate?" Mandy said sadly. 

"I'll miss all of you, even you, Malfoy," Terry said with a smirk. "You might have been a friggin jerk for six years, but you've more than made up for it this year." He raised his glass of wine in salute. 

"I'll miss eating in the Great Hall the most," Ron said. "All that delicious food!" He licked his chops and rubbed his stomach. 

"I'll miss the Quidditch Pitch," Harry said. "I LOVE Quidditch!" He took a sip of his wine, looked at the glass and almost spit out the contents. "Where did this naked lady glass come from?" He asked, watching the blonde squeeze her boobs together and blow him a kiss. 

All the males in the room tripped over each other, getting to Harry's glass. All the girls rolled their eyes. "Honestly!" Hermione said in exasperation. "You'd think they've never seen tits before!" 

"I have these too!" Terry said, pulling out a pack of pornographic playing cards. "Who wants to play strip poker?" 

"That's boring! Let's play strip Go Fish!" Justin said. 

"That should be interesting!" Terry said. 

"What the hell is Go Fish?" 

"I bet it's a game where you have to make goldfish race!" Luna said, eyes bulging. 

"It's a card game. Duh!" Lavender said, slapping her forehead. 

"I'll deal!" Terry said. 

Everyone sat in a circle as Terry delt the cards. After the rules were explained, they all picked up their cards and put down all the matches they had. 

"Draco, do you have two women kissing?" 

"Although I wish I did, I do not. Go fish, Boot," Draco said. "And take off your shirt." 

Terry removed his shirt and Draco turned to Harry. "Potter, do you have a man wanking?" Draco was trying to keep a straight face and was failing. "I can't believe I just said that!" He started to laugh. 

Harry broke out in a big grin. "Why yes, Malfoy. I do have a man wanking. And I can't believe I just said THAT!" 

Draco took the card from Harry and put it with his other matches. "I get another turn?" he asked. "Brown, do you have a woman spread eagle on a bed with a look on her face like she just ate rancid pork?" 

"Nope! Sorry Malfoy. Go fish, and remove your shorts." 

Lavender looked around. Terry, do you have a man that has his tongue in girl's ...um...stuff?" 

"Why yes I do, Lavender dear," he said, tossing the card to her and pouring another glass of wine. 

"Um... Hermione, do you have... actually, I can't tell what these people are doing," she said, showing the card to Terry. 

"How about I SHOW you what they're doing?" Terry said, raising his eyebrow and sipping his beverage. 

"How about I shove this deck of cards up your drunk ass!" she said angrily. 

"My ASS is not drunk. I CAN put a straw up there and try to drink through it if you want me to!" 

As the game continued, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, Justin, Draco and Parvati lost all of their clothing. Harry was down to his boxers, Susan had one sock on, and Mandy was wearing only her bra. Terry was passed out, snoring loudly. Hannah quit before she lost any clothing and Pansy was wearing nothing but Ron's Chudley Cannon's hat. They all quit. 

"Well obviously, we are not going to win!" Pansy said, pointing at the only two people who were still fully clothed- Luna and Ernie. 

"Fine! games over!" Ernie said, throwing down his cards. 

Everyone got dressed, while Luna just sat there. 

"Do you have a woman with a strap on penis?" Luna asked. 

Everyone looked at her. Some rolled their eyes, others giggled. 

"Luna, games over!" Ron said. "Ernie quit." 

"Oh I know, I was just playing with my invisible friend, Charlotte. She always wants to win. She always tells me I'm not smart enough to beat her. I even think she cheats, just so I'll loose." 

"Hello Charlotte!" Draco said, walking over to where the imaginary girl was. "Nice to meet you, YOU FREAKING COMPETATIVE ILLUSION FROM AN INSANE GIRL'S BRAIN!" He kicked the air and then stomped on the ground where pretend Charlotte would be lying in a pool of pretend blood. "There! I killed her. Now you're free to find another, more suitable invisible friend. Perhaps you should be more selective next time." 

Luna looked up at him in shock. "You killed her!" 

"So? What are you gonna do? Send me to imaginary prison?" 

"Her invisible big brother is going to be very angry! I'd watch out if I were you!" 

"Neville. Please, PLEASE take your delusional girlfriend and go make imaginary babies or something. Just take her away, before I flip out!" Draco said. 

Neville picked up Luna from the floor. "He did a good thing Luna. Now you don't have to put up with Charlotte anymore. She was never nice to you." 

Luna wiped her tears. "That's true," she said. "I should thank you Draco, for getting rid of her." Luna embraced Draco, who just stood there, begging for assistance with his eyes. 

"Y...you're welcome Lovegood. Now get your hands off me, you're invading my personal space!" 

She let go and Neville led her from the room. 

"That is THE strangest girl I've EVER met in my entire life!" Draco said. Everyone agreed. 

On Saturday, Professor McGonagall cornered Hermione and Draco. "As the Head boy and girl, I have decided that you should be in charge of the Pre- Graduation festivities. Have a meeting with all the Prefects and decide what you would like to do, and then let me know." 

"Yes Professor," they said together. 

The meeting was held that evening in the library. Some of the ideas they came up with were a carnival, a rodeo, a pool party and a Ball. 

"These ideas are so boring and overused. We need something different, something that will be remembered for years to come." Draco said. 

"How about a circus?" Hermione said. 

"What like clowns and prancing ponies?" A 6th year Prefect asked, laughing. 

"I think it's a good idea. Let's vote. All in favor?" Hermione asked. All but one raised their hand, Draco. 

"Something wrong with my idea, Malfoy?" 

"Yeah! It stinks! It's the dumbest thing I ever heard!" 

"It doesn't matter what you think, you're out-numbered. We're putting on a circus and you can either participate or you can go to hell!" 

"Sitting here in the same room with you IS hell, Granger." 

"You should know, you're one of Satan's henchmen aren't you? That's where Malfoy Manor is located right? On the best piece of real-estate hell has to offer?" 

Draco smirked. "Right beside the river of lava where the souls of the damned scream in agony. We spread a blanket out on the burnt bodies of doomed Muggles and eat a picnic lunch every Sunday." 

They started to scream at each other, pulling out their wands and trying to hex each other. Finally Draco said, "I'm through with this farce of a meeting!" He left, slamming the door behind him. 

Hermione sat back down, smoothed out her robes and cleared her throat. "Yes. Well, I think this meeting is over. We will meet tomorrow morning at 10. I hope each of you will have some ideas about the circus." 

They all left, except for Hermione. She pulled out a parchment and started to write a list of acts for the circus. After a few minutes, the door opened and Draco came in. 

"That was the best argument we've had so far!" he said, sitting next to her. 

"It was pretty funny," she said, not looking at him. 

"What's wrong?" 

"I don't know. I guess I'm just tired of all this fake fighting." 

"Me too. But just think, one more week and we'll be free from this place. We can go wherever we want," he said. 

"Where should we go?" 

"Anywhere. You choose. It doesn't matter to me." He lifted her face and put his forehead on hers. "As long as I'm with you, I'll be where I'm supposed to be." 

The plans went smoothly. Everyone seemed excited and signed up to do an act. Hermione chose to be a tightrope walker along with Pansy. Lavender and Parvati signed up with Seamus and Ernie to do the trapeze. Dean, Harry and Ron decided to be lion tamers. Hannah would ride in on the elephant and then make it do tricks. 

Terry, who loved the exotic, decided to do sword swallowing and fire eating. Justin and Neville would do Muggle magic show and Padma and Mandy signed up to put little dogs in dresses and parade them about, doing tricks. Draco of coarse, would be the Ring Master. 

Professor McGonagal was extremely upset that Pansy and Draco were the only Slytherin's to sign up. She informed them that they all must participate. She made Blasie the lucky person to be shot from a cannon, and the rest had to be clowns, much to their displeasure. 

"Something bad is going to happen," Professor Trelawny said to Firenze. They were walking down to the Quiddtich Pitch, where the circus tent was. 

"Nonsense, human. I saw nothing in the sky last night!" 

"Of course you didn't, it was cloudy!" she said, tripping over her own feet. 

They walked into the pink and orange stripped tent and took a seat in the first row. The whole school filed in and sat laughing and talking excitedly. The Prefect's were walking around selling cotton candy, peanuts and glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets. 

The lights went out and a moment later, a spotlight appeared, illuminating Draco in the center of the ring. He was wearing a top hat, a red coat with tails, black pants that were tucked into black patent leather boots and a white shirt with a red bow tie. He swept the hat off his head and bowed. 

"Welcome to the greatest show in the Wizarding World!" 

"Narcissa! Where is my favorite quill?" Lucius yelled, searching through the giant writing desk in their room. "The one with the peacock feather?" 

"It's in the top drawer on the right!" She yelled up the stairs. He didn't answer. "Did you find it?" she asked, walking into the room. 

He turned around, and in his hand was the envelope that she had placed in the desk and had forgotten about. "What is this?" he asked. "It has my name on it." 

"Oh that's nothing, Lucius! Just some old documents!" She wanted to rush forward, grab the envelope and rip it to shreds before he saw the contents. 

"Really?" he asked, squinting at her. "Then why are you so jumpy?" 

"Jumpy? I don't know what your talking about!" she said, laughing lightly. "Why would I be jumpy?" She walked slowly over to him. Why don't you put down those old meaningless documents and come take a shower with me?" Narcissa pulled at the envelope while kissing him passionately. 

Lucius suddenly stiffened and pulled away. "I know you, Cissy. You can't lie to me. Now what's in this that has got you flaunting your ass and trying to seduce me in the middle of the day?" He looked at her, searching her eyes. He made to reach inside and she suddenly lunged. 

"NO!" she screamed, and threw herself on him. He pushed her away, knocking her to the bed. "Don't Lucius! Don't look inside!" 

He pulled out the pictures, along with a small piece of parchment. "What in the name of Salazar Slytherin!" He turned to Narcissa, eyes blazing. "How long have you known?" 

"Known what?" she said, feigning ignorance rather poorly. 

"That not only is our son a cross dresser but he's also in love with a Mudblood?" 

"A cross dresser?" 

"Look at this!" Lucius said. He took the picture of Draco in a grass skirt and shoved it in her face. "Why are you laughing?" 

"Honey, I don't think Draco actually wears woman's clothing! He was just having a bit of fun!" 

"Then what about this? Was this Draco just having fun?" He showed her the picture of Hermione kissing her son. "He's kissing that Mudblood whore! And he looks like he's enjoying it!" 

Narcissa decided that she might as well tell her husband everything. "He IS enjoying it." 

"What!" 

"He loves her, Lucius. Our son is in love and he's happy." 

"I don't give a rat's ass if he happy! How dare he do this? He is not going to befoul the Malfoy name by being with a Mudblood. I would rather see him dead!" Lucius grabbed his wand off the desk and disapparated. 

to be continued...


	31. 31

  
Author's notes: It's a showdown at the circus.  


* * *

Anthony Goldstein, Daphne Greengrass, Sally-Ann Perks and Lisa Turpin were all at the entrance of the tent. They were dressed in Gypsy costumes and Anthony had a cappuccine monkey named Ziggy on his shoulder.   
"Come on Tony! You can't believe everything everyone says!" Daphne rolled her eyes. "Malfoy is not going out with Hermione! Just the thought of it is disturbing." 

"Then why was looking for her? He was acting all weird, like he was afraid for her or something. And, remember when I told you I saw them with my own eyes making out in the library! They tried to play it off but I wasn't fooled! 

"Were you wearing your glasses, Tony?" Sally-Ann asked. "We all know you are totally blind without them!" 

"As a matter of fact, I wasn't wearing my glasses." 

"So you could of been mistaken?" Lisa asked. 

Anthony stomped his foot. "I saw them! They were all over each other! It was shocking and vomit inducing!" 

Suddenly Ziggy started to chitter and jump up and down on Anthony's shoulder, the tassel on his little fez swinging wildly. 

"Who IS that?" Anthony asked, squinting at the blonde haired man that was briskly walking up the grass towards them. 

"I don't know, but he sure looks pissed about something!" Lisa said. 

"Who.." Terry started to ask the blonde man, when he was suddenly blown ten feet into the air. Ziggy jumped on Lucius' head and preceded to pull his hair out. 

"You can't do that! Who the hell do you think you are?" Sally-Ann said running over to Anthony's body. Lisa and Daphne stood in front of the tent entrance, wands pointed. 

"I'm one angry son of a bitch that's who I am! Now get the hell out of my way before I make you!" Lucius seethed. He grabbed the monkey by the throat and threw it to the ground as hard as he could. Sally-Ann started to whimper as she heard it's poor little bones crunch from the impact. Lucius stunned her and she lay crumpled next to Anthony. 

Daphne and Lisa pulled closer together and aimed their wands. "I don't think we should let you in. Obviously you are a crazy freak who wants to hurt someone!" Lisa said. 

"I SAID TO GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY WAY!" Lisa and Daphne were blasted by a spell from his wand and lay in a heap in front of the entrance. He stepped over them and entered the tent. 

AN HOUR EARLIER... 

"Thank you Padme and Mandy! How did they get those dogs to do that? I guess you have to BE a dog to train a dog!" Draco said chuckling. 

Mandy frowned, bent down and whispered to her little Pomeranian, "Go get him, Suki. Go get the bad man!" Suki ran out to Draco, barking her head off and growling. 

"What the shit!" Draco said as the tiny dog started to bite his ankles. "Get OFF!!" He lifted his leg and Suki held on to his boot with her sharp little teeth. People were laughing and clapping. 

Draco shook his foot as hard as he could and Suki let go. He went to give the vicious pooch a swift kick, but stopped mid-swing, remembering he was in front of an audience. "Stupid fucking hairy rat," he mumbled under his breath. Suki ran back to Mandy who picked her up and smiled sweetly at Draco. He gave her a look that shot daggers. 

Clearing his throat, he announced, " And now, please look high above you. We have our Seductive Slytherin, Pansy and our Gorgeous Gryffindor, Hermione, who are about to wow you with their tightrope act!" Draco bowed and left the ring. The spotlight was now on his girlfriend and his best friend. 

"Damn Granger looks good in that skimpy little outfit!" Draco heard some fifth year say. He wanted to rip the kid's eyes out but decided not to, after all, Hermione DID look absolutely fantastic! 

He smiled as he watched her slowly walk out to the middle of the rope with perfect balance. She stood on one foot, then slid into a split. Pansy slowly made her way out to where Hermione was. She then placed one hand on either side of the balancing pole that Hermione was holding and brought herself up into a handstand. 

Everyone oohed and aahed. Pansy carefully came down and helped Hermione up. Both then walked to the end of the rope and grabbed four glow in the dark hoola hoops. After making their way back out to the middle, the lights went out. You could see Pansy and Hermione's hoops spinning around their arms, and then their necks and finally their waists. The lights came back on and thunderous applause broke out as they bowed and did a swan dive off the rope, landing in the safety net below. 

Hermione ran over to Draco. "That was great!" he said to her. She went to hug him but remembered that she couldn't. The happy smile slid from her face. 

"What's wrong?" he asked, concerned. 

"I'm having a happy moment and wish to share my joy with you by wrapping my arms around you, but I can't! I'm so sick of this!" 

"Hermione, we've been over this. Just a few more days, we'll be done with school and we'll be able to tell everyone about us, but not now!" 

"That's what you keep saying." She was suddenly angry. "If you really loved me, you'd just come out and tell everyone instead of trying to keep it secret! You say it has to be this way for MY safety, but I'm beginning to think it's because you're too afraid of your father!" 

He gave her a strange look and opened his mouth to say something, when Pansy pushed him back out into the ring. He put his hat back on, glanced over to were Hermione was and saw her turn her back and walk away. Draco put on a fake smile and announced loudly, "The bloke doing the next act is brilliant. Let's just hope that all the alcohol has left his system and he's sober enough to do his act without setting the place on fire!" Every one from the study group laughed. "May I introduce to you, the amazing Terry Boot!" 

Terry strolled out into the ring wearing something that looked like a dirty, loose fitting cloth diaper with a brown belt and an equally dingy turban on his head. In one hand he held a sword by the hilt and in the other hand, he clutched a stick. The audience was completely quiet as Terry stuck the sword into his belt. He reached down the back of his diaper and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. 

Terry looked over at Draco and smirked. He opened the bottle, took a long drink and then poured some of the liquid over the stick. After taking another small sip, he put the bottle back and pulled a match out from under his turban. He lifted his foot and scrapped the match tip along his ruff heel and lit it. 

When the stick went up in a blaze, the audience gasped. And when Terry put back his head, and stuck the flaming stick into his mouth, they just about went crazy with excitement. He pulled it back out, filled his mouth with whiskey, tilted his head up and then blew the alcohol onto the fire, causing the flames to shoot ten feet into the air. 

"Holy crap!" Professor Flitwick said, jumping back and falling out of his seat. 

Terry threw the stick to Draco, who put the fire out with his wand. "You ain't seen nothing yet!" Terry yelled. He pulled out the sword and did an awesome dance with it, swinging it around and making cool sound effects. He then stopped, stood perfectly still, put his head back and slid the sword down his throat. 

"This act is the SHIT!" fellow lush, Professor Trelawney said. She belched loudly and then passed out. She fell over onto the floor where Frienze had been standing moments before. "Human's are so predictable!" he said sadly. 

Terry slowly pulled the sword out of his throat. He smiled and bowed. Suddenly, he grabbed his neck and collapsed on the floor. He was convulsing and bloody foam was gushing from his mouth. 

Everyone in the audience began to panic. "Get that boy some medical assistance!" someone yelled. Madam Pomfrey was actually halfway down the bleachers when Terry stood up. 

"No need to get all upset! I'm fine!" Terry wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He threw the sword into the air and caught it in his teeth. 

The audience clapped and gave him a standing ovation. He was very pleased with himself. 

"That was 100 percent better than that fiasco of a Muggle Magic show Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley did!" Draco said, walking back out into the ring. 

He announced the trapeze act and then went in search of Hermione. "Have you seen her anywhere?" he asked Anthony. 

"I saw her earlier, right after her act, but I haven't seen her since." 

"Do you know which way she went?" 

"Why do you want to know anyway, Malfoy?" he asked suspiciously. 

Draco grabbed Anthony by the colorful vest he was wearing. "Just tell me Goldstein, or so help me I'll..." 

"Fine! She went towards the elephant!" 

Draco could hear the people in the audience clapping and whistling as Seamus, Parvati, Lavender and Ernie did their ariel skills. "Is Hermione back here?" he asked Hannah, who was getting Bubbles ready to go out into the ring. 

"She came by about five minutes ago. She seemed upset. Is everything okay, Malfoy?" There was a gasp from the audience. Draco saw that Seamus had fallen onto the safety net. 

"I hope so. I've got this really strange feeling that something bad is going to happen." He gave Bubbles a pat. "If you see her, tell her I was looking for her, all right?" 

"Sure." 

Draco ran into the ring just as the act was over. "That was stupendous! Nice fall, by the way, Finnigan. I thought the Irish were supposed to have good luck?" 

Seamus blushed as he left the ring. 

"Now for the biggest act in the show! May I present, Bubbles the elephant!" 

As the elephant came to a halt in the middle of the ring, Hannah stood up from on top of the Elephant's back and waved. She was dressed in a sequenced body suit that gave the illusion that she was nude and covered in glitter. Guys in the audience whistled and shouted rude sexual comments until Professor McGonagall told them all to shut up. 

Hannah sat back down, whispered something to Bubbles and slowly the animal lowered it's self to the ground. She slid off it's back and then bowed. A few people clapped. 

She walked around to the front of bubbles and said "UP!" The elephant didn't move. Hannah was starting to feel quite stupid. "Up Bubbles!" she said in a firm voice. Bubbles sat up and trumpeted. Hannah turned to the audience and said "TA DA!" No one clapped. She stood there, awkwardly and then said to Bubbles, "Stand!" the elephant stood up, farted loudly and then took a huge shit. Hannah was mortified. She was crying as she led the animal out of the ring. 

"That just about sums up this act!" Draco said, waving his wand and getting rid of the pile of steaming dookie. He wrinkled his nose and then said cheerfully, "And now for the big cats!" The spot light went out. Slowly, the ring lit up. Harry, Ron and Dean were standing there, wearing safari outfits. Each had a whip in their hand. 

A huge white tiger was sitting on a small platform. It let out a huge roar and the audience jumped. A male lion was sitting on another platform, licking it's giant paw. A black panther was on the third platform, sitting and waiting patiently, it's tail swinging. 

Harry stepped towards the lion and snapped his whip. He said something in a weird language and the cat jumped off the platform. Dean held up a silver hoop and the lion jumped through it, twice. Harry then cracked the whip and the lion went back to it's spot. He gave it a treat. 

Ron called the panther down and it came to him. Harry knelt on the ground and the cat jumped over him. It then turned and jumped back over. Ron said, "Good Sheeba! And the cat lept back onto it's platform. Ron gave her a kitty treat. 

Dean, looking a bit frightened, snapped his whip and the white tiger jumped down. Dean was just about to send the tiger through a burning hoop when out of the corner of his eye, he saw two figures walking into the ring. 

"What are you waiting for?" Harry asked. Dean pointed. Harry's heart jumped into his throat. 

Susan, who was doing the lighting, brought up all the lights when she saw the two struggling people. 

There were cries of astonishment and fear. 

Harry turned to Dean and Ron. "Put the cats back in the cages," he said. "Where is Malfoy?" 

Draco pushed his way through the crowd of performers and came to a sudden halt. There, in the middle of the ring, was Lucius. In his tight grip, was Hermione. She was kicking and trying to get free. Lucius had his hand over her mouth and nose and she was trying desperately to pry it off so that she could breathe. 

Draco made a choked noise in his throat and ran towards his father. 

"Come any closer, Draco, and I'll make sure your precious little Mudblood is deprived of oxygen until she turns a lovely shade of death." 

Draco stopped. "Let her go!" 

"Maybe I should let her live and kill you instead, you sorry excuse for a son!" He took his hand off Hermione's mouth. She took a few heaving breaths and the world came back into focus. 

TEN MINUTES EARLIER... 

After Hermione talked to Hannah, she was walking back to the entrance when she was stopped by Collin. 

"Hermione. There's something I need to tell you." Collin said. 

"Okay." 

"Remember when I was at Malfoy's Birthday party uninvited?" 

"Yes." 

"Someone sent me there." 

"What do you mean someone sent you there?" Hermione asked impatiently. 

"Earlier that day, I was approached by Blaise Zabini. He said he would pay me to take pictures of Malfoy and you, together." 

"WHAT?" 

"That's what I was doing there. He somehow knew about the party and told me exactly how to get in." 

"Did you give him the pictures?" 

"Y...yes. I'm so sorry!" Collin broke down crying. "He took them, he seemed so pleased, and then he paid me and left. I think he was going to the owlery. 

Hermione felt like she had the wind knocked out of her. "Stop blubbering like a damn baby, Collin! I don't blame you." 

"You don't?" he asked in astonishment. 

Hermione ignored him and ran towards the entrance. She meant to use the floo network in the castle to contact Tonks. Someone had to know that Lucius was either in possession of those photos or soon would be. She and Draco needed protection. 

"What in the name of hell!?!" she said, seeing the bodies of her classmates scattered outside the tent. Hermione ran over to each one and checked to see if they were alive. Everyone was, except for the poor little monkey. 

As she ran back inside, she was knocked to the ground and then rolled over. After the stars vanished from her vision, she looked up to see the twisted and maniacal face of Lucius Malfoy. "Hello there Mudblood!" 

He pulled her up and put his hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream. Lucius drug her through the dark tent and out into the middle of the ring. Her lungs felt as though they were going to burst from lack of air and just as she as blacking out, he let go. 

"How dare you fornicate with this... this dirt-veined whore!" Lucius shook Hermione, making her head snap back and forth. You have shamed me and the family name! Tell me that you have no intentions of ever seeing her again!" 

Ron started forward but Harry stopped him. "This is Draco's battle. He needs to do this." Ron looked at Harry, confused at first, but comprehension soon dawned on him. 

"I WILL see her again. I love her and nothing you can say or do will ever keep me from her!" Draco had his wand clenched so tightly in his hand, that his knuckles were white. 

At Draco's proclamation of his love for Hermione, the crowd all turned to each other and mummered their shock and disbelief. 

Lucius was more angry than he had ever been in his life. "I demand that you forget about her!" 

"NEVER!" Draco brought his wand up and pointed it at Lucius. "I have wasted my whole life listening to your crazy ideas. You have tried to brainwash me, and even tortured me so that I would become like you. I have had enough! I will never again be bullied into doing what you want! You are a sick bastard and I want nothing more to do with you!" 

"Then you leave me no choice, Draco." Lucius threw Hermione to the ground and raised his wand at his only son. "I'll have to kill you." 

Professor McGonagall tried to make her way to the ring but was hit on the back of the head by Blaise and knocked out. All around the tent, the 7th year Slytherin's, who were dressed in clown costumes, made sure that none of the teachers could interfere. 

"Hermione, run!" Draco said. Hermione scrambled up and ran to Harry. 

"I'm going to teach you a lesson Father," Draco said. 

Lucius laughed. "You and what army? I know how your old friends have abandoned you. Everyone else has hated you for years! You are utterly alone Draco, no one to protect you! No one but your filthy Mudblood girlfriend will fight for your useless life!" 

"You're wrong, Lucius," Harry said, walking towards them. He stepped up next to Draco. "I will protect him. I will fight for his life!" He glanced at Draco out of the corner of his eye and both smiled. 

The people in the tent were all struck dumb. Harry Potter was going to protect Draco Malfoy!?! First the news about Hermione and now this! What could possibly happen next? 

"I'll also protect him!" Terry said, walking into the ring. "He's one hell of a drinking buddy and one hell of a good friend!" 

Lucius was not prepared for this. His wand lowered slightly. He looked around at all the others who were coming to stand with his son. 

Everyone from the study group strode into the ring and made a protective circle around Draco. They all had their wands aimed at Mr. Malfoy. 

"I guess I didn't know you at all, son. How long have you been friends with all these Blood Traitors and Mudbloods?" Lucius said, looking at each individual. "You disgust me, boy! After all that I've done for you! How could you do this?" he screamed. 

"I suggest you shut your racist mouth and take your ass as far away from me as you can get!" Draco said. "You are nothing. Your life as been a waste. I hope I never see you again!" 

"How dare you speak to me like that! I'll kill you, you ungrateful little shit!" Lucius raised his wand. So did the others. 

"Lucius! Stop this right now!" Narcissa Malfoy walked into the ring. "I command you to lower your wand!" 

"You COMMAND me!?!" Lucius said in a booming voice. "How dare you!" 

She walked up to him and looked him dead in the face. "If you do not lower your wand, I will leave you forever Lucius. I have had enough of all this. I'm sick and tired of all the shit I've had to put up with over the years! Either you put down your wand and leave our son in peace, or you will be a lonely old man with nothing but your gulit to keep you company!" 

Lucius blinked. "You're all talk Cissy! You've threatened to leave me before!" He laughed at her. "You'll never do it!" 

She pointed her wand directly into his face. "Try me Lucius. You will not harm our son OR Hermione OR any of his friends. You will NOT disinherit him and you will not keep him from the only home he's ever known! Either you agree to these terms or I'll kick your stupid ass out of the house and you can go live in the gutter!" 

Lucius opened his mouth just as Draco pointed his wand and stunned his father. "Take him home mother. I'll be fine." 

She searched his eyes, nodded her head and levitated his unconscious body out of the tent. 

to be continued...


	32. 32

  
Author's notes: A proposal and a job offer.  


* * *

As soon as Narcissa put Lucius to bed, she sat down at her writing desk and wrote him a letter.   
Dear Husband,  
It pains me to have to do this, but I am leaving you for a short time. Perhaps, if you are alone, you will be able to think clearly about your life. You have made many mistakes regarding the upbringing of our precious son and have not treated me, your wife, with love and kindness as you promised to do on our wedding day. You are not the man I married all those years ago. I know that deep down inside, you love Draco, no matter the decisions he had made regarding Hermione. Maybe, if you swallow your pride and apologize to him for everything, he will forgive you someday. If you don't, I do not see how I can possibly live with you anymore. I love you Lucius. Please do the right thing.  
Your loving wife,  
Narcissa 

She packed some of her things and left for her sister's house. 

Meanwhile, at the circus... 

Blaise Zabini made his way down the bleachers, pushing and knocking people over. He stalked over to the group of friends and pulled out his wand. "I can't believe that you chose this Mudblood over your father!" he said to Draco. 

Draco turned and narrowed his eyes at Blaise. "I suggest you flee the premises before something horrible happens to you!" 

"Are you threatening me, Malfoy?" 

"Why yes I am." 

"You can't..." Blaise never finished his sentence. Harry had walked up behind him and put him in a choke hold. Terry then took his half empty bottle of whiskey and busted him over the head with it. 

"What a waste of good booze!" he said, shaking his head sadly. 

Nott, Crabbe and Goyle were trying to wrestle their way through the crowd. Ron saw them and decided to have a little fun. He walked over to the panther Sheeba and opened her cage. Sheeba loved Ron and totally listened to every command he gave. "Hey there beautiful girl!" he said to the cat. "Who's the prettiest kitty in the whole world?" he said in baby talk, rubbing Sheeba behind her ear. "See those assholes over there? Go get them!" Ron let the panther loose and she ran for Goyle first. He screamed and jumped on Nott, trying to climb up the poor skinny boy. 

"Get the hell off me you big... AAAAHHHHH!!!" Sheeba bit into his ass and tore off the seat of his clown pants. Crabbe took off his giant floppy shoe and tried to beat the cat over the head with it. Sheeba roared and Crabbe took off running. Someone stuck out their foot and tripped him, sending him sprawling. Mandy's dog, Suki came sprinting from no where and attacked him. The tiny viscious dog bit into his colorful wig, getting it stuck in her sharp little teeth. The dog tried to shake it off but couldn't, instead it ran around in circles, yipping and growling at the fake hair. 

Sheeba jumped on Nott and Goyle, toppling them to the ground. Goyle passed out from fright and lay there like a slug. Nott was screaming like someone having a bad acid trip. Everyone was laughing and pointing. Ron called the cat back and Nott jumped up and ran out of the tent like his ass was on fire. 

Harry was holding a limp Blaise up by his armpits. "We still need to deal with this prick. Any ideas?" 

Terry smiled wickedly. "Oh I have something VERY special planned for our dear stuntman!" He looked over a Pansy. "Take off all his clothes!" 

Pansy, who had learned what a sick devious person Terry could be, did what he asked happily. 

"What exactly are you planning to do Boot?" Draco asked, smirking. 

"Trust me dear friend, you'll love it!" He turned to Justin and Ernie. "Pull that cannon outside the tent, or do it by magic, just get it out of the tent. Aim it towards Hogsmead!" 

"You're not going to do what I think you're going to do. Are you?" Hermione asked. Terry gave her a wink as an answer. 

"Attention everyone!" Terry said to the crowd. "This piece of shit has made my life a living hell and I'm sure plenty of you have had to deal with his not so pleasant attitude. He recently attacked a friend of mine and sent her to the hospital wing." Terry looked over at Pansy 

There was a collective gasp from the audience. Harry didn't know if they were gasping because Terry said Blaise attacked some one, or if they were gasping because he referred to Pansy as his friend. 

"And then he tried to hurt Hermione. Just because she and Draco happen to be in love. Luckily, Malfoy managed to stop the attack and put one hell of an ass whoopin' on the bastard!" 

People whistled and clapped their approval. 

"I for one, am sick of all the crap these Pure Blood wankers have put us through all these years! I say we use this sorry excuse for a Wizard as an example! It's time we put a stop to all this bigotry and make the school a better place for future students!" He whispered something to Hannah, who turned and ran. He then walked out of the tent. 

Everyone followed and soon the whole school, minus the stunned and unconscious teachers, were congregated around the cannon. 

Terry waited for everyone to quiet down and then did something unsuspected. He took off his cloth diaper. Hannah ran up holding a stinking bag of elephant shit. Terry dumped it into the diaper and put it on Blaise. 

Harry and Ron stuffed the funky smelling boy into the cannon and Ernie lit the fuse. The whole crowd waited, holding their breath. "BAM!" Blaise soared through the air and out of sight. 

The Three Broomsticks was very crowded that day. Madam Rosmerta was filling the glass of one of her regular customers when a foul smelling black boy wearing a soiled diaper crashed through the front window, flew through the air and landed with a thud on the bar in front of her. 

"Just what I always wanted! Who got me the half naked retarded boy for my birthday?" she asked her stunned patrons. "How wonderful! He's not even potty trained!" she said as shit oozed out of his diaper and befouled her countertop. 

The smoke from the cannon dissipated and the crowd slowly thinned. Hermione, Draco, Ginny and Harry went back inside the tent to revive the teachers. The rest of the group started to clean up. Draco explained to Professor McGonagall what had happened. She was furious and went on a rampage, expelling Crabbe, Goyle, Nott and Blaise. 

Graduation day was sunny and warm. The ceremony was very beautiful and more than one person broke down in tears. When it was over and everyone had said their tearful good-byes, Professor McGonagall approached Draco and Hermione. 

"I need to speak to the both of you. Can we take a walk by the lake perhaps?" she asked them. 

Hermione took Draco's hand and the three of them strolled in the sunshine next to the water. 

"As you probably have heard, I have had two positions posted in the Daily Prophet for months, but I can't seem to find suitable candidates." She stopped walking and faced the two of them looking apprehensive. "I know this has never been done before, but I seem to have no other choice. You are quite young and even though you both were the top in the class and I happen to know what your NEWT results are..." 

"What are you saying Professor?" Hermione asked. 

Professor McGonagall sighed. "I want to offer you both teaching positions for next year." 

"What?" Draco said, taken aback. "You're serious?" 

"Yes Mr. Malfoy, I'm completely serious. I wish to offer you the job of Potions Master." 

"Me? Potions Master?" 

"Do you want the position?" 

Draco looked over at Hermione, who was all smiles. 

"You do so love potions!" she said to him. 

"I'll take the job, Professor!" he said and shook her hand. 

"And Miss Granger, I cannot keep teaching Trasfiguration and do my duties as Headmistress, I'm old and haven't that much energy any more. Will you accept the position of Trasfiguration Professor?" 

Hermione almost jumped for joy. "Oh Professor! I would love to!" She gave the woman a hug and Draco saw the tiniest smile on the stern face of the Headmistress. 

"Oh! One last thing. Taking these positions means that you will also be the Heads of Slytherin and Gryffindor. I hope this doesn't change your minds?" 

The grins on their faces were answer enough. She turned and walked back to the school. 

"This is the best day ever!" Hermione said, beaming up at Draco. "Nothing could possibly make this day any better!" 

"Nothing?" he asked her, reaching into his pocket. He pulled out a jewel encrusted ring box and got down on one knee. 

"W... what are you doing?" she asked in a quivering voice. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she suddenly felt faint. 

Draco took her left hand, kissed it softly, looked up at her and said, "Hermione, you are my saving grace, my one true reason for living. From you I have learned how to love and be loved in return. Without you, I would be incomplete. Will you marry me?" 

Hermione lifted him up into her arms and said through her tears of joy, "Yes, Draco, my love, I will marry you!" 

He slid the beautiful antique family heirloom onto her finger and brushing back the curls from her face, he kissed her, feeling absolute happiness for the first time in his life. 

to be continued...


	33. 33

  
Author's notes: The wedding.  


* * *

After a two year engagement, the day had finally come. It was a warm and beautiful afternoon for a wedding. The house elves were arranging the last of the chairs out on the well- kept lawn of Malfoy Manor. And the guests were beginning to arrive. Ron, Ernie and Justin ushered them to their seats. Hermione was in a richly decorated spare bedroom on the second floor, getting ready.   
"I still can't believe that Narcissa talked Lucius into letting you have the wedding here. How did she do it?" Ginny, her maid of honor asked. 

"Well you remember how she left him for like almost a year? I do believe he would do anything she asked if she threatened to leave again!" 

Ginny laughed. "Narcissa used blackmail to make him agree to this?" 

"I guess that lonely year really turned Lucius into a needy bastard. He will not let Cissy out of his sight for even a second for fear of her taking off." Hermione said. 

"Has he really changed do you think?" Ginny asked, looking herself over in the mirror. She was wearing a strapless pale blue silk dress. It fluttered around her ankles as she spun around, admiring herself. "I mean, he seems to be all right some times, but very often, I catch him reverting back to his old self, especially when he is around Harry," Ginny said, rearranging the forget-me-nots that were in her hair. 

Hermione sighed. "I don't think he has really changed, but for Narcissa's sake, he IS trying to act civil. Draco refuses to have anything to do with him. When we come over for dinner, he ignores Lucius like he's not even there. You've seen it, at the last party Narcissa gave. Lucius tried numerous times to engage him in conversation, but all Draco did was walk away." 

Ginny looked at Hermione sadly, but then suddenly smiled. "You look so beautiful! Come and see!" She lifted Hermione up and led her over to the full length mirror. 

Hermione's eyes widened. "I...I don't look like myself!" She smoothed down her satin gown, turned this way and that, inspecting every inch of her attire, right down to the diamond and pearl earrings that were dangling from her ears. 

"I love those!" Ginny said touching Hermione's earrings and matching necklace. 

"They were a present from Narcissa. It seems that they match the engagement ring Draco gave to me. She told me that they used to belong to her Great Grandmother, who left them to her when she passed away." 

Hermione ran her fingers over the tight fabric that was stretched over her torso. "Do you think anyone will notice?" she asked a bit frightened. 

"Hermione," Ginny said, turning her friend around, "No one knows but the two of us." She let go of Hermione's shoulders and put on her shoes. "I still don't see why you haven't told him yet." 

"It might have ruined the wedding! I don't know how Draco is going to react when I tell him, he might faint, or... or run away and never come back." 

"Hermione, please. He would never run away! He just might faint though!" 

There was a knock at the door and Pansy stuck her head in. "It's almost time to start. Your Mum would like to see you, Hermione." 

Hermione's mother came into the room, Ginny left the two of them alone and went out into the hallway with Pansy. 

"She's nervous." Ginny said. 

"Not nearly as nervous as Draco. He's combed his hair at least a hundred times and I think he's made a permanent path in the carpet from pacing back and forth." 

"Where is the flower girl?" Ginny said, looking around. 

"Oh shit! I was supposed to be watching her!" Pansy said and ran down the stairs, holding up her violet bridesmaid dress so she wouldn't trip. 

Ginny ran after her. "If you've lost her, Fleur is going to throw a fit!" 

"How scary could that be?" Pansy asked, looking inside a closet. 

"You've never heard her yell in French!" Ginny said, peeking behind the drapes. "Sophia! Come out come out where ever you are!" 

Pansy got down on her knees and looked under the sofa. "You better come out NOW you little sh..." 

They heard a tiny laugh and gave each other a relieved look. Ginny walked over to the huge tapestry hanging on the far wall, and lifted it up. There , underneath was a tiny little girl with strawberry blonde hair and huge brown eyes. 

"Aunti Ginny! You found me!" the cute child said, and bounded into Ginny's arms. "I was hiding from Pansy, she's mean!" 

Ginny raised a questioning eyebrow at Pansy. 

"What?" Pansy said. "All I did was take away the sucker she was eating! I didn't want her to ruin her dress! When I tried to pry it from her sticky little fingers, she stuck it my hair! I had to use my wand to fix it! She's a little monster!" 

"Pansy wanted the lolly for her self, that's why she took it!" Sophia said, sticking out her bottom lip and pouting. 

"Stop that! You look like Uncle Ron when you make that face!" Ginny said tweaking the girl's nose. "I promise I'll get you a whole bag of lollies after the wedding, okay?" 

"Yay!" Sophia said and clapped her pudgy hands. She kissed Ginny on the cheek and jumped down. "A whole bag of lollies just for me!" she said prancing around. "And I'll give one to everybody, except for Pansy!" she gave Pansy a big grin. Pansy stuck her tongue out at the girl. 

"Everything all right in here?" Tonks asked, walking into the room, holding the hand of a little boy. He had lots of light brown hair and beautiful big blue eyes. "Brian is all ready, he just needs the pillow." 

"You look so handsome Brian Lupin! What a little man you are!" Ginny said, squatting down to eye level with the boy. 

He gave her a shy smile and whispered in her ear, "You wook bery pwitty Ginny" 

Ginny gave him a hug. 

"You know something Gin?" You are going to make one hell of a mother someday!" Pansy said . "You have a way with the little ones." 

Ginny frowned. "Well if Harry would get around to asking me to marry him, maybe I'll be able to have a few before my eggs rot!" 

They heard music from the open window and Ginny snapped into action. "Pansy, you make sure that Sophia and Brian are in place. I'll go and get Hermione. 

"Draco, if you comb your hair once more, your going to go prematurely bald!" Harry said, shining his shoes. 

"I feel sick!" Draco said sitting on the window seat and putting his head in his hands. "I hope I don't blow chunks in front of the guests!" 

"Calm down! Just breath!" Terry said. "Here, take a nip of this. It'll help calm your nerves!" He held out a flask. 

Draco and Harry chuckled. "No thanks, Boot. I need to be sober for this occasion!" 

Terry shrugged. "More for me!" He tilted his head back and took a gulp. 

"Let's just talk about something, you know, just to keep my mind off of the three hundred or so people filling the seats in the backyard." Draco said, pacing the floor again. 

"So Harry, how are things at Auror Headquarters?" Terry asked, screwing the lid back on the flask and putting it in his sock. 

"Boring actually. Sometimes I long for the old days. At least when there were Death Eaters about, there was something to do. Now they're all dead or 'reformed'. I sit at a desk all day, doing reports. Not at all what I signed up for!" 

"Well I hear that the DADA Professor at Hogwarts is leaving, maybe you could get the job?" Draco said, leaning back against the window. 

"I don't know. You know how Ron is Keeper for the Chudley Cannons? Well, their Seeker was injured and I was offered the spot." 

"Are you going to take it?" Terry asked. 

"I want to, but I should talk it over with Gin first." 

"Speaking of Ginny, when the bloody hell are you planning to marry the poor girl?" Draco asked. "When she comes over to visit, all she does is complain about dying an old spinster with shriveled up eggs or some such nonsense!" 

Harry looked extremely uncomfortable. "I...I want to ask her, but I have no idea what to say!" 

"Do you mean to tell me, that you haven't asked her because you can't think of the appropriate wording?" Draco asked laughing. "For god's sake man! At this point I don't think she'd care if you wrote 'marry me' on your bare ass with black marker and mooned her from the window! She just wants you to ask her!" 

Ron knocked at the door. "They need you lot, it's about to start, so get your asses outside!" 

Draco stood up, took a deep breath and let it out. "I will not puke. I will not puke," he chanted as they left the room and headed out the side door of the Manor. 

Pansy handed Sophia her basket of flower petals and gave little Brian his ring bearer pillow. "You two stand here, right in front of me." 

Hermione's mother gave her daughter a kiss on the cheek and was ushered to her seat by Ron. Ginny then handed her the beautiful bouquet that Mrs. Weasley had made. Hermione looked up at the proud face of her father as he slipped his arm through her's. He winked at her and smiled. She smiled back and then faced forward as Sophia and Brian walked out into the bright sunshine. 

Draco watched as Sophia skipped down the red carpet, throwing her petals. He saw the little girl stop and shout at Fleur, "Aunti Ginny's gonna buy me a whole bag of lollies!" 

Fleur's face was beet red with embarrassment and Bill was giving his daughter a thumbs up. "Zat is very nice, sweetheart. Now go on up zee aisle." 

Sophia dumped out the basket of petals and continued up the aisle, Brian was running to keep up. Everyone thought they were the cutest thing in the world. Pansy came out next, walking slowly and gracefully to the music. She was followed by Ginny. The guests all stood up as Hermione made her way down the petal strewn carpet. 

Draco thought she was the most beautiful woman on the face of the earth. "How did I get so lucky?" he asked himself. 

Her father kissed her on the cheek and then took a seat next to Mrs. Granger, who was already crying. 

Hermione handed her bouquet to Ginny and then Draco took both of her hands in his. They gazed lovingly into each other's eyes as the Ministry Official said, "We are gathered here on this wonderful occasion to celebrate the joining of two souls into one." 

Hagrid let out a wail and blew his nose loudly. Some people from Lucius' side of the family turned around and gave him disgusted looks. They were not to happy about Draco marrying a Muggle born, and they were definitely not to pleased to see half breeds at the wedding. They were all were wondering exactly why Lucius was not present at the wedding. 

The Official continued, "Their story is one filled with sorrow and heartache. Of misunderstandings and secret longing. But it is also a story of forgiveness and a love so deep that nothing could stand in it's way." 

He turned to Hermione. "I understand that you have written your own vows?" 

Hermione nodded. She smiled at Draco and said in a strong clear voice, "Before you, I was a lonely confused girl who clung to her books for security. Before you, I never knew that I could ever be truly happy, that I was ever capable of feeling so much love for another. Before you, I was missing a piece of my soul and now that I have that missing piece, I promise to do everything in my power to hold on to it. I will try to look the other way when you leave your dirty underwear on the bathroom floor." She smiled at his smirking face. "I promise not to steal your hair care products that Pierre gives you and use them. I will comfort you when you wake up screaming in the night that Buckbeak is trying to kill you. And most of all, I promise to love you for all eternity." She put the ring on his finger, and looked up at him, eager to hear what vows he had written. 

Draco lifted his hand and caressed the side of Hermione's face. "You have taught me many things. How to be kind, gentle, patient and loving. Until you came into my life, I never knew what happiness was." He smirked at her. "I will try my hardest to give you alone time to read your books, and I will try not to be jealous of Crookshanks and to not throw him out of the bed when he's purring in my face. No longer will I visit Gretchen for a massage or mention her in any way." He saw that she had tears in her eyes and was shocked to notice that he did to. "Hermione, I can't imagine my life without you, I love you more than words can express. This ring," he said, slipping it on her finger, "Represents my never ending love for you." 

All the women were dabbing their eyes and the men were all looking uncomfortable. 

The Ministry Official smiled at them. "You may kiss your bride," he said. Draco grabbed Hermione and dipped her, kissing her so hard and long that people were beginning to wonder if they would ever stop. "May I present, for the very first time, Mr. and Mrs. Draco Malfoy!" 

Draco stopped kissing Hermione and they both smiled happily as the guests stood and clapped. 

Lucius was watching the whole ceremony from his bedroom. He had opened the window to hear what was going on. He really wanted to be there, but Draco had informed him that he was not welcome. His son would not forgive him for the past, no matter how many times Lucius said he was sorry. The day before the wedding, when Hermione and Draco had come to the Manor to go over the wedding plans, Lucius had practically begged Draco to let him attend. All he got from his son was a cold shoulder. 

Even Narcissa treated him badly, always saying she was going to leave again if he didn't shape up and be a real man. She didn't love him anymore, he could tell. In fact no one loved him. This thought depressed him immensely because he realized that it was his own fault that he was unloved. 

He watched as the reception started, wishing he could be down there in the fragrant gardens, laughing lightly and sipping mixed drinks. Instead he was banished to his room like some naughty child. His life was a mess and he just wanted to end it all. He left the window and went into the bathroom. He took out the bottle of sleeping potion that belonged to Narcissa and walked back into the bedroom. He sat on the bed and stared straight ahead, building up his courage to do what he must do. 

Down on the lawn, the guests were dancing, eating and drinking. Luna was doing some strange gyrating dance moves that made her look like an epileptic chicken. Fred and George were dancing with her, having a good time. 

Terry was walking around carrying a bottle champagne. The reception had been going on for twenty minutes and he was already on his second bottle. His jacket was off, his tie was undone and his shirt was hanging open. He had become 'Terry, the party animal'. "Hey there good looking!" he said to a passing girl. "Wanna see my wand?" The girl threw her glass of punch in his face. He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "Playing hard to get huh?" 

Narcissa, Mrs. Weasley, Andromeda and Mrs. Granger were sitting at a table with Mad Eye, who was telling them stories about his days as an Auror. Mrs. Granger was looking very frightened. 

Mr. Weasley was with Mr. Granger at the refreshment table bombarding him with questions about televisions, computers and ATM machines. Ron was listening to their conversation as he shoved food into his mouth, savoring the taste of the rich food the Malfoy house elves had prepared. 

Sophia was doing somersaults in the grass and Brian was laughing at the fact that every time she rolled, her knickers were showing. Fleur frowned and told Bill that she must get it from his side of the family because girls in her family never roll on the ground exposing their undergarments. Bill told her that that was because girls in her family never wear undergarments. She didn't talk to him for the rest of the day. 

Parvati and Lavender were whispering together and laughing. They were making fun of the dress that some woman was wearing. The woman turned around, waved her wand and turned the fashionable dresses Parvati and Lavender were wearing into flour sacks. They looked down, cried out in horror and fled into the house to hide. 

Harry stood up from his seat at the head table and tinged his spoon on the crystal glass he held in his hand. The music stopped and everyone took their seats. "As best man, I have to make a toast. All of you know that I'm not to good with words, so bare with me please." He glanced over at Draco and Hermione and then back at the guests. "If any one of you had come to me three years ago and told me that I would one day be the best man at Hermione's wedding to Draco Malfoy, I would have died from laughter." Everyone chuckled. "These two unlikely people have proved to us all that anything's possible! I wish you both a long life together filled with love and happiness! To Draco and Hermione!" Harry raised his glass and drank his champagne.The guests did the same. 

"Why aren't you drinking your bubbly, Hermione?" Draco asked, putting down his glass. "Are you feeling all right?" He felt her forehead. 

"I'm not drinking because it would be bad for the baby," she said, looking at his stunned face. 

to be continued...


	34. 34

  
Author's notes: Lucius has a breakdown and Hermione has the baby.  


* * *

Harry and Ginny, who were sitting next to the newly married couple, both held their breath, waiting for Draco's reaction.   
"Draco? Draco, say something!" Hermione said, on the verge of tears. 

He blinked, shook his head slightly and asked her, "D...did you say baby?" 

"Yes. We're going to have a baby." Hermione said, putting her hand on top of his. She was waiting for him to throw it off, scream at her and stalk away, never to come back. 

Draco grinned happily. He jumped up, knocking his chair over, picked up Hermione and swung her around. "A baby! We're going to have a baby!" he said loudly. 

Narcissa and Mrs. Granger looked at each other and then embraced, crying for joy. "I must go and tell Lucius!" Narcissa said, running into the house. 

All the guests congratulated the expecting parents. "You were worried for nothing!" Ginny said to Hermione. "Look how happy he is!" 

Hermione was about to respond when a horrifying scream emanated from the Manor. "What the hell?" she said, looking at Draco. 

"That was mother!" he said. Draco ran into the house and sprinted up the stairs where he could hear his mother screaming and crying. He threw open their bedroom door and stopped in his tracks. 

Narcissa was on the floor, cradling Lucius. He looked dead. His skin was a strange blue color and there was blood on the side of his head. Draco ran forward just as Hermione and a dozen others appeared in the doorway. 

"What's happened?" Hermione asked in a panic. "Is your mother hurt?" 

"No she's fine. It's my father." 

Mr. Weasley pushed his way through the crowd. He knelt down and felt for a pulse. "He's still alive, but just. His heartbeat is very faint. We need to get him to St. Mungo's!" 

Draco noticed something clutched in his father's hand and he pulled it out. "Sleeping draught! He took the whole thing!" Draco looked disgustedly at his father. "You should of Avada Kedavraed yourself! Stupid man!" 

"DRACO!" his mother said shocked. "How dare you!" 

Draco just sneered. "He did this on purpose! He wanted to ruin the best day of my life! He's an asshole and I hope he fucking dies!" 

Narcissa slapped Draco across the face. 

There was a shocked silence. Mr. Weasley cleared his throat. "We need to get him some help. NOW!" 

Draco got up and left the room, not looking back. Hermione found him an hour later. All the guests had left and just Harry, Ginny, Pansy and Ron remained. 

He was in the library, sitting at his father's desk, drinking a glass of 100 year old scotch. "Have they taken him?" 

"Yes," Hermione said, walking over to him. She had changed out of her dress and was now wearing a green silk robe embroidered with Chinese dragons. "Your mother and Andromeda went with him. Everyone has gone home, except for our friends." 

He reached out for her and she sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry," she said. 

He smoothed the curls out of her face. "It's weird. I hate that man with all my heart, but seeing him lying like that on the floor... it." Draco sighed. 

Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment from her robe pocket. "Lucius left this for you." 

Draco opened it and read. 

Dear son,  
I know that I have been a complete failure to you. You deserved a father who was loving and caring and always there for you. I let my own twisted ideas ruin the lives of the people I cared about most... you and your mother. Whether you believe it or not, I do love you and I am truly sorry for all the damage I've done.  
I do not blame you for shutting me out of your life, and as of today, you will no longer have to deal with me at all. I hope you have a wonderful life with Hermione, she seems like a very nice girl. I can see how much in love you are with each other and it gives me makes me happy to think about how wonderful your life is going to be. Please take care of your mother, tell her I love her very much.  
Your Father, Lucius 

Draco read the letter twice. "I don't know what to say. I have no idea what to do." He folded up the letter and laid it on the desk. "Why could he never say these things to my face?" 

Hermione said sadly, "I don't know, Draco" 

Harry came running into the room. "We just received word that your father is going to be fine. Lucky bastard!" Harry said and left the room angrily. 

Draco showed no emotion what so ever. He didn't know whether to be happy or be dissapointed. He got up from the desk, poured himself another drink, and called for a house elf. "Bring our luggage from my house, Mrs. Malfoy and I will be leaving for our Honeymoon soon." The elf bowed and disappeared with a pop. 

"We're still going to go to Aruba?" 

"You heard Potter. Father is going to pull through. I see no reason not to go." 

Hermione was a little surprised. "Don't you want to go and see him?" 

"No," Draco said, emptying his glass in one gulp. "I'm sure he's quite embarrassed about not dying. He wrote those things in that letter because he thought he'd never see me again. If I showed up to visit him, I think he would be mortified." 

"So your never going to see him?" 

"Maybe when we get back. I don't know, Hermione." He grabbed her and pulled her close. "All I know is that I want to spend sometime alone with my beautiful wife, lying on the beach in the sun, relaxing." 

Hermione giggled. "I guess I should wear my bikini while I still can!" she said, patting her tummy. 

Draco looked out the bungalow window. A slight breeze ruffled his pale hair. "This place is so beautiful!" he said to Hermione, who was lying on the bed. Her tan naked body stretched out on the white sheet, her arm thrown over her eyes. 

"It's so relaxing, I don't ever want to go back!" she said in a dreamy voice. The sound of the ocean was putting her to sleep. "I can't believe we've been her for a month already!" 

"It went by fast didn't it?" he said, crawling into bed with her. When she didn't answer he shook her slightly. "You're not sleeping are you?" He kissed her slightly bulging tummy. "Hey there little man," he whispered to her belly. "It's your daddy!" 

Hermione giggled and rolled over to face him. She opened her eyes and stared into his. "Your eyes are so bloodshot, haven't you been sleeping?" 

"You know I haven't been sleeping! And neither have you!" he said pulling her on top of himself. I guess the tropic air makes us both extremely horny!" 

"Make love to me, my sexy husband," she said, caressing his tanned chest. 

"If you insist," he said, lifting her a bit and sliding his cock into her already wet pussy. 

She leaned down and kissed him, sucking his tongue and moaning as he slowly lifted her up and down. "Mmm. God I love when you do that," she said when he spread her cheeks apart and inserted a finger into her hole. He gently pumped it in and out, causing her shudder with pleasure. 

Draco removed his finger and brought his hands to her breasts, kneading them and pulling at her tender nipples. Her pace quickened and she threw her head back, her hair tumbling down her behind her. Draco loved when she was on top. He loved how sexy she was, the sounds she made and how her eyes looked when she was about to cum. 

Hermione felt it building inside of her. A fire that erupted full force and she screamed out as he drove his cock into her faster and faster until he also screamed out. She collapsed on top of him, both trying to catch their breath. 

"I love being married to you," he said, kissing her flushed face. 

"And I love being married to you," she said with a smile. 

Narcissa was distraught. Her husband had recovered physically, but mentally, he was still unwell. She was able to bring him home after his week long stay at St. Mungo's. 

She put him into his bed, where he just laid on his side, day after day, not speaking a word. Narcissa did everything she could think of to cheer him up. She read to him, brought him gifts, sang to him, nothing worked. 

The Healers all said the same thing. He was melancholy, depressed and would probably just wither away and die. Narcissa refused to accept this. After three weeks of him languishing in unchanged bed sheets and refusing to eat, she had had enough. Deciding that what he needed was tough love, she charged into the room, threw open the drapes and descended on him like a plague of locusts. 

"Lucius Malfoy, you get out of that bed right this instant! Stop feeling sorry for yourself and stop acting like a big friggin baby!" 

Lucius didn't even blink. Narcissa went to the bed and pushed him out, where he just fell to the floor and lay there like a petrified dog turd. She frowned and rolled her eyes. "I'm not going to let you lie here in your own filth like a pig!" she said and ripped the soiled sheets and blankets from the bed. The house elf that had come in with her took the sheets and with a look of pure distaste, carried them from the room. 

Another elf brought in a tray of food and sat it down on the desk. Narcissa and the elf tried to lift Lucius up onto a chair, but gave up. She propped him up against the bed and sat down on the floor in front of him. "Now you are going to eat this even if I have to shove it down your throat!" she said, filling a spoon with mashed up peas and carrots. She put the spoon up to his mouth but he didn't open up. Narcissa sighed. "This is completely ridiculous!" 

She shoved the food into his mouth and it just fell right back out and landed in his lap with a plop. "You are the most... the biggest... you are so bullheaded!" she yelled and stood up. "Starve to death then! See if I care!" She took the tray and left him leaning against the bed. 

Draco and Hermione returned from their Honeymoon to find Narcissa sitting on their sofa crying. Draco dropped the bags and went to his mother. "Is everything all right? Nothing has happened to father has it?" 

Narcissa blew her nose softly. She picked up the red throw pillow and hugged it close to her body. "I'm at my witts end! I don't know what to do! your father hasn't said a word in a month. All he does is lie on the bed and stare out the window. I have to force feed him and help him to the bathroom, if I don't, he'd starve to death in a pile of piss and shit!" 

Draco sat down next to her. "Is there anything I can do?" 

Narcissa smiled. "Would you talk to him? I bet that's what he wants!" 

Draco frowned. "I don't know mother. What if all I do is make matters worse?" 

"It can't get any worse, Draco!" Narcissa said, throwing the pillow to the floor. "I hate seeing him this way! It's like he's given up on life." 

Hermione put her hand on Narcissa shoulder. "I'm sure Draco would be happy to talk to him. Wouldn't you Draco dear?" she said, shooting him a look that said 'you better say yes, or I'll make you sorry'. 

"I guess I can try to make him come around," he said, never taking his eyes off of Hermione's. 

Narcissa grabbed him and hugged him. "I knew you would! Oh thank you!" She kissed his whole face. 

Draco walked quietly up the carpeted stairs of the Manor to Lucius' bedroom. He knocked once and waited. When there was no answer, he slowly opened the door. 

The room was dark and Draco had to squint to see his father. Lucius was sitting in a reclining chair, looking out the open window at the moonlit sky. His once sleek hair was now a tangled mess and he was wearing nothing but his boxer shorts and slippers. 

Draco slowly walked over and knelt down beside him. "Lovely night isn't it?" he said nonchalantly. "I don't think I've ever seen a brighter moon." Draco looked at his father and was shocked to see that he looked old. There were lines on his face and shots of grey through his pale hair. 

Draco, getting no response, stood up and conjured a chair. He placed it next to the one Lucius was sitting in and sat down. They sat like that for a good half an hour. Both silent, staring out at the night, watching the fireflies and listening to the crickets. 

"You know father, you're being very selfish. Mother is very worried about you." Draco looked over at Lucius. "I guess that I'm worried as well, but don't tell anyone!" 

Lucius just stared out the window, not moving or even blinking. Draco sighed. "Since when did you become a man of few words?" He thought he saw a slight smile on his father's lips, but maybe it was a trick of the light. 

Draco stood up. "I'm going to go now father, but before I do, I need to tell you something." He knelt down and said softly, "I don't know if I can forget the terrible things you've done to me, but I am willing to forgive you for them. People change and I guess that means you as well. I've never said this to you before, but I think it's time. I love you father." Draco walked out of the room. 

As the door shut quietly behind him, a tear slowly slid down Lucius' cheek. 

As the months passed, There was a little improvement. Lucius would now eat by himself and go to the bathroom by himself. He still would not speak and spent most of his time sitting in his chair looking out at the gardens. 

Draco faithfully came each day and spent at least an hour sitting and talking to his father. Even when the new school term started, he found the time to visit. Draco told his father about the baby and even told him funny stories about his students. Once in a while, he thought he saw something stir behind his father's vacant eyes. Draco didn't know if he was helping, but it made him feel good to try. 

Hermione's pregnancy progressed without any difficulties. She and Draco were extremely excited and so were the staff and students at Hogwarts. Narcissa insisted that Hermione have the baby at the Manor in the same bed that Draco was born in. Mrs. Granger was apprehensive at first but Narcissa explained that it was a family tradition that all Malfoy children be born at home. Hermione's mother agreed as long as she could be present in case her daughter needed her. 

The last day of December was frigid cold. There had been a blizzard the day before and the House Elves had lit every fireplace in the Manor, making it toasty and warm. Hermione's last day of teaching had been a week before. She wanted to teach right up until she went into labor, but Draco insisted that she take leave. He was still at Hogwarts, presiding over the New Years Eve feast for the students who stayed behind over the Holidays. 

"Do you need anything Hermione?" Narcissa said, sticking her head in the door. Hermione put down the book she was reading and smiled at her mother in law. "I'm fine Cissy." 

"Are you sure? Your not in any pain are you? I know you have another week to go, but you seem anxious today for some reason." 

"I'm fine. My back has been hurting and this giant baby keeps using by bladder as a trampoline, but other than that, I'm fine." 

"Do you want me to help you to bed?" Narcissa asked. 

"I am feeling a bit tired," Hermione said, trying to get up from the sofa where she had been lounging with her feet up. Narcissa helped her up and Hermione had taken no more than three steps when she felt wetness run down her legs. She stopped and took a deep breath. "Either I just peed myself, or my water just broke!" she said, looking at the small wet spot on the carpet. 

Narcissa was momentarily frozen. She couldn't think. "Er... we... we need to..." 

"You need to get Draco and then my mother!" Hermione said, clinging onto the scared woman. "Help me upstairs. I know you've had the room prepared for like six months. Take me there!" 

Narcissa finally jumped into action. "Right! Get you to the room first. Then I'll floo Draco and your mum!" 

Narcissa helped Hermione onto the huge four poster bed, covered her up and then ran to the fireplace. She snatched up a handful of floo powder and threw in into the flames. "Hogwarts, Hospital wing!" 

Draco was eating his meal at the staff table along with Professors Sinistra and Vector, when Madam Pomfrey came running in and shouted at him. "Your mother just flooed me! Mrs. Malfoy is in labor! You need to get to the Manor at once!" 

Draco stood up so fast that he knocked over his drink and almost upended the table. He looked at the teachers, who were excited and at the twenty or so students who were smiling at him. "Well this is it!" he said. 

"Good luck!" Professor Sinistra said. 

"Good luck!" Everyone repeated. 

Draco sprinted to the hospital wing as fast as he could and flooed to the Manor. 

As soon as he stepped out of the fire place, he ran to Hermione's side. "How are you doing?" he asked in concern. She just smiled at him courageously. 

Hermione's mother came into the room carrying a towering armful of clean white towels. Narcissa followed her into the room balancing a tub of warm water, ten house elves trailed behind her. 

Hermione was feeling nothing. Three hours later though, a slight twinge began to wrap it's self around her middle. It steadily got worse. Two hours later, she was sweaty and crying. Both mothers asked if she wanted something for the pain. Hermione refused. She wanted to feel everything, to experience first hand what she had read in all her childbirth books. 

Draco held onto her hand as Hermione began to cry out. He had never seen anyone in so much pain and he felt so sorry for her. Narcissa told Hermione to push. It was more difficult than Hermione had ever imagined. She almost passed out a few times and just wanted to give up and die so the pain would go away. She pushed one final time as hard as she could. 

"It's a boy!" Narcissa said happily, holding up the screaming baby. Draco and Hermione smiled at each other and watched as Narcissa and Mrs. Granger cleaned him up and wrapped him in a beautiful hand embroidered blanket. 

"Your son," Narcissa said, handing him gently to Hermione. Draco looked down at his tiny boy and started to cry. He felt the soft fluff of blonde hair and touched his tiny fingers. "Thank you," he whispered to Hermione and kissed her. 

"We should of called him Cry Baby Malfoy. All he does is cry, it's a suitable name, fits him well." Draco said, rocking the baby, who was wailing at the top of his lungs. I like it better than Gavin. Let's change it!" Draco cooed at his son "You like Cry Baby better than Gavin don't you?" The baby screamed, turning a deep shade of red. 

"There must be something wrong with him! He hasn't stopped screaming for three days!" Hermione said, crying. "I don't know what to do!" She sat down in a chair and put her head in her hands. "I'm a horrible mother! He hates me!" 

"Well he must hate me too!" Draco said. "Look at how his little fists are flying! I know he want to take a jab at me!" 

Hermione stood up and took the baby from Draco. She paced the floor, rocking him. "Shh. It's all right. Mummy's here." The baby screamed even louder. 

Narcissa came into the room shaking her head. "I've never seen anything like it! You'd think he'd wear himself out from all the crying and fall asleep!" 

"Can you think of anything else to do?" Hermione asked desperately. 

"I'm sorry, I..." 

The bedroom door opened and Lucius came in. Draco, Hermione and Narcissa all stared in shock. Lucius stood there, apparently he had just taken a shower, because his hair was wet and he was wearing a dark blue robe and matching slippers. 

Lucius looked around and his eyes fell on the screaming newborn in Hermione's arms. He smiled and walked over to her. "May I hold him?" he asked her politely. 

Hermione looked uncertainly at Draco. He shrugged his shoulders. Hermione gently handed over the baby into the arms of his Grandfather. Almost immediately, the baby stopped crying. 

"You are very handsome. Yes you are!" Lucius said, kissing the baby's head. He sat down in the rocking chair and held the boy close. He hummed a lullaby to him as he rocked and soon the baby was asleep. Narcissa stood next to her husband, looking down at her sleeping grandson. "I'm glad your back," she said. 

"So am I," he said, smiling up at her. 

Draco and Hermione tiptoed out of the room and stood in the hallway. Draco said in a whisper "I'm beginning to think that anything IS possible!" 

to be continued...


	35. 35

  
Author's notes: The funny epilogue!  


* * *

In case you're wondering what happened to some of the Hogwarts students after graduation: 

Terry married Madam Rosmerta. They had a happy life until she died in a freak accident involving a barrell of malt whiskey. It seems she was carrying the heavy barrel up the stairs when she fell backwards. The barrel landed on top of her, killing her. 

Terry inherited The Three Broomsticks. Needless to say, he was a great succsess at running the bar. After two years, he had enough money to buy the Hogs Head, which he turned into a strip club called Jiggles. 

He hired Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle to be bouncers. They were as dumb as a bucket of bricks, but made good body guards. 

It took ten years, but he amassed a fortune and owned clubs all throughout the Wizarding world. He had the reputation for being a gigolo. Woman wanted him and men wanted to be him. 

Lavender and Parvati started a magazine together, called 'Scandalous!'. They made it about the two things they loved most:  
It contained gossip about society people and the latest fashions. They were the cause of numerous divorces and became quite notorious. It seemed that they would do anything for a story, even turn on each other. 

When Parvati caught Lavender cheating on her husband, she published secret photos along with a lengthy article containing every intimate detail. 

Lavender quit 'Scandalous!' and started her own magazine called 'Busted!'. She hired Collin McCreevey to be her photographer. She and Collin would sneak around and catch people having affairs. They then would either blackmail them or just publish the story. 

One evening, Lavender broke into Parvati's flat and hid in her bedroom closet. She was delighted when she saw the new, young and very married Minister of Magic, jump into the sack with Parvati. Lavender put all the pictures in the very next issue of 'Busted!'. Let's just say this scandal started a war between the former friends that lasts to this day. 

After Ernie left his wife, Lavender, he moved far away to a city called Hollywood. He took up riding a motorcycle, grew his hair long and opened up a tattoo parlor. A year later, he married a biker mama by the name of Big Betty Bingo, had three kids and lived happily ever after. 

Justin, after many years of denial, came out of the closet. No one was really surprised. He was hired at the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network). He ran a talk show where he took calls from other homosexuals, offering advice on fashion and interior decorating. He also discussed topics relating to the problems gay Wizards faced from unaccepting heterosexuals. It became the top rated talk show and he won numerous awards. 

Mandy, Susan and Hannah had enjoyed their 7th year Muggle camping trip so much that they founded a camp to help underprivileged Witches and Wizards experience the great outdoors. The camp was called 'Willow Woods' and was funded by a mysterious man named Mr. Ferret. He never delivered the checks in person because he wanted to remain anonymous. Susan, Mandy and Hannah knew that this was Draco, but never let on that they were wise to him. 

Neville and Luna were married a year after graduation. When Professor Sprout retired, Neville was offered the job and he took it happily. He had always loved Herbology and he was excited to be teaching along side Hermione and Draco. 

Luna, the crazy cryptozologist, was determined to prove the existence of the Crumple-Horned Snorcack and the Blibbering Humdinger. She went on yearly summer excursions to far off countries to try and capture one alive. Neville went with her at first, but soon tired of it all. He perferred to stay at their summer home with their son and tend to his vegetable garden. 

One summer, Luna never came back. Neville took time off from work to search for her. He and his son traveled the world looking for her. Finally, five years later, in a small village in South America, they heard rumors of a light haired woman who wandered the jungle, talking to herself and eating bugs. 

Neville thought for sure he had found her at last. It seemed that the natives thought she was some sort of spirit and every month, on the full moon, they sacrificed a Crumple-Horned Snorcack to appease her. 

Neville and his son waited in the jungle on the night of the sacrifice and were astonished when Luna came out of the trees. She was dressed only in a skimpy outfit made from palm leaves. They watched as she went over and knelt next to the dead body of the Snorcack and stroked it's hide. She cried out, "Why are they always dead? Why can't I find a live one!" 

Neville slowly walked over to his wife and knelt down next to her. She looked at him like he was a stranger. He grabbed her and their son and dissaparated back home. 

After a long stay in St. Mungo's, Luna recovered. She had no recollection of her five years in the jungle and refused to believe the crazy stories her husband told about it. 

Blaise decided that he wanted to be the next Dark Lord. He gathered some of his crazy friends around him and planned an attack on the Ministry. He made one mistake though, thinking that Lucius was still a fan of the Dark Arts, Blaise contacted him and tried to recruit him. He told Lucius all about his plans and Lucius pretended to go along with it. Instead, Mr. Malfoy contacted the Auror Headquarters and told Harry all about what was going down. 

Blaise and his comrades walked into a trap. Harry and his fellow Aurors were waiting for him. A battle called "The Second Battle at the Ministry', ensued where Blaise was killed along with Theo Knott, Marcus Flint, Cormac McLaggen and Zacharias Smith. 

Ron and Pansy dated for three years but broke up because Ron cared more about Quidditch than her. He didn't really care, he had women throwing themselves at his feet. He was after all, a world famous Keeper. He was taken on by England and helped his country win the Quidditch World Cup. He was injured during the game and had to retire at age 25. Having no job and no girlfriend and no where to go, he moved in with Dean and Seamus. 

Pansy found happiness with one of Ron's brothers instead. She started dating George after Ron went to play for England. They hit it off and were married after only a month. She had two sets of twins that were boys and all were ginger haired and trouble makers like their father and Uncle Fred. 

Fred never married but did enjoy many different woman, sometimes more than one at a time. He was loved by his nephews and nieces and enjoyed teaching them how to misbehave. He and George opened a chain of joke shops and did very well for themselves. 

Dean and Seamus did nothing. They sat in their unfurnished flat, eating peanut butter on stale bread and playing cards all day. They were very excited when Ron wanted to move in and took complete advantage of him. Ron brought with him all his furniture and even offered to pay the bills and buy the food. They managed to help Ron spend all his savings in just under two months. Ron got sick of being poor again and moved in with his sister and Harry. 

Harry had FINALLY managed to gather enough courage to ask Ginny to marry him. One night when Ginny had fallen asleep on the sofa in the livingroom of the tiny house they shared, Harry set his plan in motion. 

He took millions of candles and set them all around their bedroom. He set up a small table with a delectable dinner for two, care of Mrs. Weasley, and then lit the candles. He left the room and went to wake Ginny up. 

While he was getting Ginny, the flame from one of the candles set the curtains on fire and the room was soon an inferno. They got out in time and as they were standing on their lawn, watching their home burn to the ground, Ginny flipped out. "What the hell were you doing!?!" she yelled at him. 

Harry turned to her and shouted, "I was trying to ask you to marry me!" 

Ginny screamed and jumped on him, knocking him to the ground. She planted kisses all over his ash smeared face and said, "Yes, yes YES!" 

They were married that spring and soon they were the parents of a beautiful little girl, named Callista. She had dark hair and green eyes, just like her father, but she had Ginny's temper. Woe to the person who upset little Calli, she would explode in anger and get you back when you least expected it. When she was five, Harry upset her when he wouldn't let her carry the new baby around. So little Calli went into Harry's den and took out all his important papers and tossed them into the fireplace. 

Another time she took her little sister, Karys and shaved off all her hair, including her eyebrows. She did this just because a stranger had told the toddler that she had the most beautiful red curls, while not giving Calli a complement about her straight black boring hair. 

Life with Callista was never boring and her parents were neither shocked nor upset when the girl was sorted into Slytherin her first year at Hogwarts. 

And as for Draco and Hermione, they lived happily ever after. What did you expect? Trouble? Death? Danger? Perhaps an affair that tore the couple apart? Not in this story!


End file.
